Dragon Ball Blood Feud
by Shivirani
Summary: A blood feud between Android 18 and Vegeta starts. However, Krillin and Marron soon get caught up in this game of life and death and, worst of all, Goku and Bulma don't know what's going on.
1. A Bucket of Blood

_**Note:** I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the characters from Dragon Ball Z. Those are from the genius of Akira Toriyama. I am only responsible for the plotline._

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**Chapter 1: A Bucket of Blood**

It was breakfast time at Capsule Corps. Vegeta was just sitting at the table, as he couldn't be bothered to eat but Bulma had insisted that he do so just to be polite. Bulma sipped at a mug of coffee and nibbled on a bun while Chibi Trunks scoffed large amounts of bread. "You know that Yajerobie got hurt last week?" Bulma asked.

"Yes?" Vegeta said crossly.

"Well, Chi-chi tried to get Goku to donate blood yesterday." Bulma remarked.

Vegeta was silent, waiting for Bulma to get to the point of the story.

"But Goku refused. I think he actually jumped out of the window or something." Bulma said.

"Did you expect that weakling to actually donate blood!" Vegeta yelled.

Bulma pondered her answer. "Well, not really…"

"And any _true_ Saiya-jin warrior can do whatever they need to." Vegeta finished, smirking.

Bulma stood up angrily. "And I suppose you wouldn't mind proving that!" she said indignantly.

"Why wouldn't I! Name your challenge!" Vegeta replied furiously, also standing up.

Bulma stepped back.

"What's the matter, weakling? Brain gone dead?" Vegeta taunted.

"No. You give blood, then, instead of Goku." Bulma challenged.

"That'll be a complete waste of my training time." Vegeta grumbled.

Bulma shrugged. "You shouldn't have said that, then."

Five minutes later, Vegeta was standing outside a blood donation centre. "Waste of time." he muttered, but went in.

"Hello, I am Juu-hachi-gou and I will be your blood donation supervisor." Android 18 said happily. "Oh, I see we have an ouji in the centre. Please, allow me to escort you into the special room for ouji."

"Why're you here?" Vegeta asked, surprised.

Juu-hachi-gou smiled. "Oh, this is my day job, for when I'm not off destroying the world." she joked. She kept smiling as she escorted him into the 'special room for ouji'.

Vegeta was impressed by this room. It was big and white, with a comfortable-looking bed near one wall. There was a lot of medical equipment around, and Vegeta was looking at it when-

"Vegeta, if you'll kindly lie on the bed." Juu-hachi-gou's voice lashed through the silence. Vegeta reluctantly lay down on the bed. Juu-hachi-gou administered a syringe-full of clear fluid.

"What's that?" Vegeta asked.

"Oh, it'll make you go to sleep so that you don't have to watch me fixing everything up." Juu-hachi-gou said lightly. Vegeta's eyes closed and he fell asleep.

When Vegeta awoke, he felt weaker than he'd ever felt, even as a child. He tried to sit up, but couldn't. As he lay there, panting with the effort that he had just expended, Juu-hachi-gou came in. "Just came to check on the patient." Juu-hachi-gou said, laughing.

"W…w…what's g…going…" Vegeta gasped.

Juu-hachi-gou laughed again. "Haven't you guessed it yet?" she asked gleefully. "With your 'superior saiya-jin brain', I thought you would have guessed it by now!"

Vegeta growled quietly.

"Well, I guess I'm going to have to explain it to you, then." Juu-hachi-gou said, sighing dramatically. "I never 'went good'. I can't. I just reprogrammed myself for a while. It was the perfect undercover move: go among the enemy, even get one of them to have genuine feelings about you…" she sighed again. "But anyway, I've had a particular grudge against _you_. _You_ were always arrogant, always. Arrogant to me, in particular. _You_ were never helpful; _you_'d always go off to train in that silly 'gravity room' of yours. That's why I hated you. When did _you_ ever do any of the work that the rest of us did? So decided to" she chuckled softly. "Downsize you. I figured that, like this, you wouldn't be so stubborn. Oh, and, by the way, your 'friends' are gonna get killed."

"W…w…what-"

"Marron's an android. I'm sure that Krillin is going to be very upset about this, but I don't care. You see," she laughed again. "Marron is programmed to kill people. And by the time that they've managed to do something to keep Marron out of the way," another chuckle. "You'll be…let's say 'beyond their help'. Oh and, by the way, I'm going to take care of the saiya-jin myself."

"You'll never manage to defeat all the saiya-jin." Vegeta whispered.

"Ah, that's where you're wrong." Juu-hachi-gou said, waving one finger tauntingly in front of his face. "I'm modified. When I eat saiya-jin meat, I not only absorb all of the saiya-jin's abilities, but also get stronger. I'll be perfectly able to defeat all the rest of the saiya-jin. As soon as I have eaten" she paused for effect and smirked slightly. "You."

"W…what?" Vegeta asked going slightly pale. "You'll never do that to me." he said angrily. This couldn't be happening to him. It must be just a trick, or a dream.

Juu-hachi-gou laughed in a bone-chilling way that could never happen in a dream. "And how're you going to stop me? You're weak as a Chikyuu-jin baby!" Juu-hachi-gou taunted.

Vegeta rolled off the bed and tried to stand up, but then crumpled on the floor, landing heavily on his arm. A stab of pain shot through his left arm. He cried out, then fell back, gasping. "How…how're you…keeping me…this weak?" he asked, panting heavily.

Yet another laugh from Juu-hachi-gou. "You haven't noticed that either? Honestly!" She kicked Vegeta in the side and he curled up, gasping. "Well, I guess I really should tell you. Strange, isn't it, how the 'greatest of all Saiya-jin' can fall to the most stupid trick. Have you looked at your left arm recently?"

Vegeta tried to pull his arm out from under him, but ended up sprawled on the floor again. This time, though, his left arm was off to his left, and as he turned his head that way, panting for breath, he noticed a needle stuck deeply into his arm, with a tube leading to a tank. If he concentrated, he could see something inside the tube. Blood. His blood. The tank was half-full of it.

Flashback

Chibi Vegeta sat in a sunny room in the palace. Outside, he would have been able to hear the Saiya-jin talking as they went around doing their regular jobs, some laughter and the sound of several fights. But he didn't because he was listening to his sensei. "Now, my young prince, when two or more pints of blood are taken from your body, you become steadily weaker and, if too much blood is lost over a very short time, you may even die." the teacher finished.

End flashback

Vegeta groaned weakly.

Juu-hachi-gou laughed and kicked him again. "So you've finally remembered! By the way, I had to take four pints of blood to get you that weak!"

Vegeta cried out. "What? You could have killed me! What're you doing here anyway?" he managed to say between gasps of pain.

Juu-hachi-gou smirked. "Krillin taught me to conceal a power level, but since I don't have one, I don't have to bother. Krillin thinks I'm on holiday with an old 'friend' and I suppose that's true, in a way. Bulma thinks you've gone off to train, and that's something that happens quite often, too. By the time that they notice something's wrong, you'll be long dead."

Vegeta felt a cold shiver going down his back, but smirked and closed his eyes. 'Kakarotto?' he thought.

Goku was at Capsule Corps., looking for Vegeta. "He's not here! I think he's gone off to train or something! That's what Eighteen said!" Bulma yelled at Goku exasperatedly.

'Kakarotto?' Goku heard it and grinned. "I hear you, Vegeta! You can come out now!"

'But I'm not "here".' Vegeta thought back, puzzled.

Bulma looked worriedly at Goku. "Vegeta's not here. I already told you that."

"I know, Vegeta just told me." Goku said happily. He closed his eyes as Bulma shook her head. Goku 'saw' the thought-form of Vegeta. He ran towards Vegeta, yelling 'Where have you been!' Goku stopped and looked at Vegeta suspiciously. 'And why're you inside my head?'

Vegeta winced. 'No time for questions, Kakarotto. Can you sense my ki?'

Goku focused, sensing Vegeta's ki. 'What's wrong, Vegeta? Your power level's really low!'

'I know' Vegeta thought back, wincing again, and sighed. 'Just-keep an eye on it, okay?'

''Kay, Vegeta.' Goku thought happily, opening his eyes again.

"Hello-oo." Bulma said, waving one hand in front of Goku's eyes. "What's going on?"

"I was talking to Vegeta." Goku told Bulma happily.

Bulma looked at him in disbelief. The phone rang, and Bulma picked it up. "Bulma Briefs, Capsule Corps. How may I help-"

"Bulma, it's Krillin. There's something wrong with Marron; she's uncontrollable! Can you get Goku here quick?" Krillin's worried voice sounded over the phone.

Bulma looked over at Goku. "Krillin, Goku's here. I'll send him over, quick. Bye!"

"Bye, Bulma!" Krillin's voice called, less worried this time.

Bulma put the phone down. "Right Goku, there's something wrong with Marron. I want you to bring her back here, preferably unharmed, so that I can check her over. Think you can do that?"

"Yup." Goku said, then sensed Krillin's _ki_, translocating to him.

Bulma sat down. "Well, that's him gone." she said.

Krillin was glad when Goku turned up. "I shut her in her bedroom. I couldn't risk her getting out," he said, turning and going into the house.

But when they got there, there was a Marron-shaped hole in the door. "Oh no! She escaped!" Krillin cried, distraught. Then he remembered something. "Goku, can you sense her power level?"

Goku tried, but after a few seconds he gave up. "No. I'm sorry."

"But the only people without power levels are the androids…oh."

Goku nodded. "I'm sorry." Then he brightened up. "Let's go on this Marron-hunt then, shall we?" he asked.

"O…okay." Krillin said, still shaken by recent events.

They searched the house, and finally found Marron under the sitting room table, giggling hysterically. "Whoa! That's unusual!" Goku exclaimed, amazed.

"No, Goku. That's a perfectly normal thing for a baby to do." Krillin corrected him.

Then Marron jumped into the air and started throwing _ki_ balls at them. "That's more like it!" Goku enthused. "She wants to play 'catch'!" He immediately made his own _ki_ ball and threw it back at her.

Krillin looked upset. "She's never done that before," he said worriedly.

"Really? I thought that's what all babies do," Goku said.

Krillin looked at him worriedly. "You must have seen some very strange babies, then."

Goku's _ki_ ball hit Marron on the back of her head and she fell. Krillin caught her. "I gotta take her back to Capsule Corps." Goku said.

"I'll join you." Krillin grabbed hold of Goku's shoulder, and Goku translocated back to Capsule Corps. Goku had forgotten all about what Vegeta had told him to do.

Back at Capsule Corps., Bulma was shut in the lab while Goku and Krillin waited outside anxiously. Finally, Bulma invited them to come in.

Krillin rushed right past her and gazed anxiously at the still figure of Marron on the bed. "What's wrong with her, Bulma? Will she get better?" he asked nervously.

"No, I'm afraid she won't." Bulma said sternly. "She's an android."

Wha-!" Goku and Krillin exclaimed, unable to believe what Bulma had told them. Krillin was the first to recover his wits.

"But she can't be an android!" Krillin complained to Bulma. "It must be just some kind of joke or something, right?"

Bulma shook her head.

"But she just can't be an android!"

"I'm afraid it's true." Bulma told Krillin seriously.

"I don't believe you!"

Bulma bent down and took a computer chip out of Marron's head. "Don't worry though, I can give her a real girl's personality."

Krillin stared in astonishment. "But she can't…Juu-hachi-gou had her…oh damn!"

Bulma nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"But Juu can't be really an android!" Krillin wailed. "She told me that it was just Doctor Gero's programming!"

Bulma grabbed Krillin's shoulders. "And you trusted her! Like a fool you trusted her! Didn't you know that women are sometimes misleading!"

Krillin narrowed his eyes and touched the tips of his index fingers together. "Well, yes I had realised that before, but-" Then he caught the implication of what it must mean. "But that means that Juu-hachi-gou's really an android!"

Goku caught on with what this would mean. "That would mean that she might be off terrorizing innocent people right this moment!"

Bulma nodded. "Exactly."

Krillin went hectic. "Goku, can you sense her _ki_?"

Goku tried for a few moments, then shook his head. "I'll keep trying, though."

"Wait a second." Bulma cut in. "Didn't Krillin teach her to conceal it?"

"Oh yeah, guess I did." Krillin said nervously.

Goku interrupted. "Yeah, but Krillin didn't know something like this was going to happen."

"And another thing: Haven't we already agreed that Juu-hachi-gou's an android?" Bulma added.

"But Krillin told me-"

"Listen, Goku! Juu-hachi-gou IS an android; WE are trying to find her and you can't trust ANYTHING Krillin says anymore. Got that?"

Goku nodded confusedly, then remembered something. "Oh yeah; Vegeta asked." He focused and sensed Vegeta's _ki_. 'It keeps changing.' Goku thought, puzzled. 'I'd better check that he's okay.' And so he translocated off.

Meanwhile, Vegeta had managed to pull himself up using the bed, and was standing shakily beside it, with Juu-hachi-gou looking scornfully at him. "Stop that, android." Vegeta forced out between gasps, and lunged at Juu-hachi-gou, who took one step to her right. Vegeta's punch missed, and he banged into the wall, then fell forward onto the floor. Juu-hachi-gou walked slowly over to him, laughing mirthlessly as he groaned in agony. She kicked him in the stomach, and he doubled over in pain, gasping for breath.

"And this is the power of the 'legendary super Saiya-jin'?" Juu-hachi-gou taunted.

Vegeta gasped an answer and struggled to his feet, swaying slightly.

Juu-hachi-gou laughed again. "And the 'Prince of Saiya-jin' can't even stand up to a 'weak' android like me! What kind of warrior race are you!" she teased.

Vegeta growled in anger, forced himself to try to stand straight and started powering up. He'd almost got to Super Saiya-jin when he felt a sudden weakness pulling him back. He continued trying to power up to Super Saiya-jin, but each time his increase in power was suddenly cut off.

Juu-hachi-gou laughed. "_Still_ so weak? Well, I suppose that it can't be helped."

Just then, Goku translocated in. "Vegeta, what's the matter? Something's wrong, isn't it?" Then he spotted Juu-hachi-gou. "There she is!" Juu-hachi-gou went white at the sight of the taller, more powerful Saiya-jin.

"I'm…alright, Kaka…rotto, and…this …piece of trash…is MINE!" Vegeta said shakily and quietly.

Goku shook his head. "If you're alright, then you wouldn't be all wobbly, Vegeta." Goku said concernedly.

"KAKAROTTO, DON'T CONTRADICT-"Vegeta began, but almost collapsed and only just grabbed onto the wall in time.

Goku looked at him worriedly. "Vegeta, how'd you become so weak anyway?"

Vegeta jerked the needle out of his arm and flung it on the floor, standing shakily.

Goku turned white at the sight of the needle covered with Vegeta's blood, but glanced once at Vegeta and decided to stay. Vegeta was still wobbling slightly, and Goku was sure that he'd never be able to defend himself if Juu-hachi-gou rushed at him and started attacking.

Blood kept flowing from the gash in Vegeta's arm where the needle had been, but eventually the flow slowed and then tapered off altogether. Vegeta looked up and grinned at Juu-hachi-gou, who went even paler at the sight of Vegeta seemingly recovered.

"Vegeta, what was that about?" Goku asked.

"Tell you later." Vegeta said roughly and started powering up slowly, turning Super Saiya-jin.

Juu-hachi-gou looked worried, but got into a fighting stance anyway.

Vegeta dashed at Juu-hachi-gou and punched her in the stomach with his right fist. As she doubled over, gasping, he kicked her legs out from under her with his right leg, and slammed his left fist into her side. As she hit the ground, he _ki_ blasted her with his right hand, destroying her. It was over in the space of a heartbeat. Vegeta dropped out of Super Saiya-jin and almost collapsed again, but grabbed the bed just before he hit the floor.

Goku approached. He attempted to pick Vegeta up and put him on the bed.

"No, Kakarotto."

Goku stopped. "But Vegeta, you can't even stand!"

Vegeta forced himself to stand up. "Yes I can, alright! Now leave me alone!"

"But Vegeta…"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Vegeta yelled, powering up and threatening Goku with his fist.

Goku fell silent.

Vegeta took one step forward, almost fell, but steadied himself on the wall before taking another step.

Goku followed him. "Whatcha doin', Vegeta?"

Vegeta spun around, almost falling over, and glared at Goku, who took one step back, then spun on his heel and continued striding around the room, looking for something.

Goku stepped back, then stayed there.

One minute later, Vegeta found the tank that Juu-hachi-gou had been putting his blood in. He looked at it and gasped. "…seven pints…it's a wonder I'm still alive…" he noticed Goku watching and turned to yell at him, but almost fell over again.

Goku raced up to try and help Vegeta, but then thought better of it as Vegeta swatted at him.

"Leave me ALONE, Kakarotto!" Vegeta yelled at the taller Saiya-jin, slightly embarrassed by the show of weakness. He turned back and poured the blood from the tank into a bucket. Staggering slightly under its weight, he walked towards the door.

Goku ran up to him and tried to take the bucket from him. "Let me carry that, Vegeta; you're not fully recovered yet."

"No, Kakarotto."

"But Vegeta…"

Vegeta spun around and slapped Goku across the face, then staggered and almost fell into the wall. He glared at Goku and then kept walking.

Goku gave up trying to get help Vegeta: he knew that Vegeta would continue to be stubborn and might end up falling over. He followed meekly behind as Vegeta half strode, half stumbled to the door and wrenched it open.

When Vegeta had got outside, he looked around, leapt into the air and started flying back to Capsule Corps.

Goku followed slowly.

Vegeta noticed that Goku was going slow for him and sped up.

Goku noticed that Vegeta had sped up and sped up also.

Vegeta sped up some more, and Goku quickened his flying pace to match Vegeta's.

This went on all the way back to Capsule Corps.

Vegeta stumbled a bit when he landed outside Capsule Corps., but didn't quite fall over. He carried the bucket in, and put it on a table before striding off to the gravity room.

Goku waited in the hall. Soon, Bulma came in. "What's in the bucket?" she asked.

"Vegeta's blood." Goku said seriously.

Bulma burst into tears. "H-he must be dead-" she sobbed.

Goku looked puzzled. "Vegeta never told me he was dead or I wouldn't have let him go to train." he said confusedly.

Bulma looked puzzled. Then she worked it out and got angry. With a scowl on her face, she strode off to the gravity room.

Vegeta was surprised when the gravity cut out: he'd only had it on 5x Earth gravity because he knew he didn't have the strength to train at 100x Earth gravity yet, or even 10x. When Bulma came in, he was even more surprised: Bulma normally stayed out of this room whenever she could. Now, however, she strode in.

"What are you doing training! You lost more than enough blood to have died!" Bulma yelled at him.

Vegeta shrugged.

"Well, you go straight to bed, do you hear me! And no training for three weeks!" Bulma commanded.

"No. I'll train when I want." Vegeta said stubbornly, swaying slightly.

Bulma strode up to him and slapped him across the face. Vegeta was flung onto the floor. Bulma immediately knelt down beside him and cradled his head in her arms. "Are you alright, Vegeta? Oh, I'm sorry! Are you alright? By Dende, I didn't realize it was as bad as this! Vegeta, speak to me!"

Vegeta coughed up a little blood, then opened his eyes. "I'll train when I want to, onna." he muttered, gasping for breath.

Bulma almost wept with relief. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Vegeta, but you've got to go to bed at the very least." she said, lifting him up and half holding him with her arm around his shoulders. Then she noticed that he'd opened up the wound on his arm when he'd been training. "Where'd you get this?" she asked, poking it. Vegeta stifled a cry of pain. "Alright, tell me later, then." She half-carried him towards the bedroom.

Krillin discovered them in the hall. Goku had obviously started telling him what had happened, because at the sight of Vegeta, Krillin ran up to them. "What did you do to Juu-hachi-gou!" he yelled, furious. When Vegeta didn't answer, he punched Vegeta in the stomach. Krillin had, all unknowing hit one of the areas of Vegeta's stomach already made tender by Juu-hachi-gou's kicks earlier. Vegeta doubled over in pain, clutching his midriff and gritting his teeth against a scream of pain.

"Krillin…" Bulma said, starting over.

Goku came into the hallway and stared at the scene for a while, then started hurrying forward.

"What did she ever do to you!" Krillin shouted, tears in his eyes as he punched one side of Vegeta's face and then the other.

Goku grabbed his arm as he swung back for another punch. "Leave Vegeta alone." he commanded.

"But he killed my wife!" Krillin wailed, anguished.

Vegeta lay sprawled on the floor. Bulma knelt down and gently turned him over, inadvertently pressing on some bruises, crying. "Please, Vegeta, don't be dead…you can't be dead! Are you alright? Please, Vegeta…" She realised that she was scared. He just lay there. She shook him gently. "Please be okay, Vegeta…answer me, Vegeta…please…" she muttered.

Goku came over and carefully lifted Vegeta up. Vegeta gasped in pain, and Goku shifted his grip to a different position. He carried Vegeta into the bedroom and laid him down on the bed, trying to be as gentle as possible. He then left Bulma there with Vegeta, who was panting for breath and had blood pouring freely from the wound he'd sustained earlier.

He found Krillin in the hallway, sobbing over the loss of his wife. "Look, Krillin, you don't know what happened before Juu-hachi-gou's death. I'll tell you." Goku said kindly, but Krillin pulled away from his old friend and ran towards the door. Goku translocated in front of Krillin and stopped him. "Look, if you don't know what happened, then you'll never understand. I'll tell it to you as best I can, okay?" Goku said, leading Krillin into the lounge.

"I don't care: I'll still kill him!" Krillin said, sobbing.

"Listen: I'll tell you the story as far as I know it, and then you can decide."

In the bedroom, Bulma bandaged Vegeta's arm and bathed his bruises. Then she wrapped padding over them to try and stop them hurting him even more. She propped him up slightly and handed him a cup with a little bit of water in, which he drank straight away before drifting off to sleep. She sat there for a few minutes, gazing at his perfect figure, and then regretfully closed the door and went into the lounge. She arrived in time to hear the last of Goku's story.

"So, what do you think now, Krillin?" Goku asked him.

"I'm still gonna kill him." Krillin said stubbornly.

"Oh really?" Bulma said, stepping forward. Krillin drew back: he hadn't noticed that she was in the room. "And do you know what? He came close to dying himself! Have you seen! He has bruises all over his body and she had taken about seven pints of blood from him aswell! Do you realise that if that had happened to you, you'd probably be dead!"

Krillin nodded thoughtfully, only then realising the pain that Vegeta had been in, and the danger he'd put Vegeta in himself. "Kami-sama! I could have killed him!"

Bulma looked at him furiously. "Have you only just realised that! Do you know that, if it had been you instead of Vegeta, you might've been killed by what you did to him! If you'd survived whatever Juu-hachi-gou put him through! Which I doubt!" Bulma paused for breath, sobbing with tears running down her face.

"Bulma, how long-" Goku started to ask.

"At least a week in bed: otherwise, I won't guarantee his life. And no proper fighting for a month after that."

"What do we do now?" Krillin asked Bulma.

"I'm hungry." Goku complained.

"I'd better make Vegeta something to eat, too." Bulma said, striding into the kitchen. She hummed to herself while she made a stew, throwing potatoes, onions, and many other things into a pot, adding water and a vegetable soup sachet, then stirring over the cooker. Later, she ladled most of the stew into a pot, and put it and some other items on a tray. Finally, she strode out into the hallway to take the tray in to Vegeta, with Goku following behind her. However, she was unprepared to see Vegeta in the hallway, obviously about to come in for something. She banged into him, and they were both thrown backwards. Bulma clumsily grabbed the tray as she was thrown back against Goku, who immediately grabbed the stew pot, and scooped all of the stew back into it before it hit the ground. He also caught the mugs that Bulma had placed on the tray, and the ladle she was going to serve it with. Vegeta was flung onto the floor.

Goku looked quizzically at Bulma. "Where's the spoon?"

Bulma, who had hurried over to Vegeta and was attempting to get him to sit up, looked at Goku confusedly. "There is no spoon." she said, then focused her attentions on Vegeta, who was struggling for breath and had got himself to sit up. She pulled Vegeta to his feet and then, draping one of his arms around her neck and one around Goku's neck, they led him back into the bedroom and laid him down carefully on the bed. Bulma propped him up with pillows and, ladling some stew into a mug, placed it to Vegeta's lips and urged him to swallow.

Protesting weakly, Vegeta swallowed the stew, then almost choked at the heat.

Bulma ladled more stew into the mug and passed it to Vegeta. "Drink it all up, now." she said briskly.

Vegeta groaned, but swallowed it.

Goku knelt down beside the bed. "Are you 'kay, Vegeta?" he asked, looking worried.

Vegeta sighed painfully. "What…does it look like…baka?" he forced out, smiling slightly. "Stupid Kakarotto…"

"I'm not stupid, Vegeta." Goku said, a relieved grin plastered all over his face. He took the mug full of stew that Bulma handed him. "Thanks…"

Bulma stood up. "I'd better go sort Marron out for Krillin." She left quickly, shutting the door behind her.

Goku burst into tears. "Vegeta I'm so sorry I never should have let that nasty Jinzouningen-jin hurt you I should have been there to stop it will you forgive me?"

"Well…you're not…clever enough to…have understood…what was… going on, so…it's no problem. Don't…worry about it…Kakarotto."

Goku grinned stupidly and swallowed the rest of his stew. "I'll go ask Bulma for more…" he said, wandering out.

Vegeta finished the rest of his stew and sighed, lying back in bed.

Goku went into the lounge to find Bulma sitting curled up and sobbing. "Bulma…what's the matter?"

Bulma jerked herself around at the sound of his voice, and wiped her eyes. "It's nothing, Goku."

"Why're you crying, then?"

"Oh Goku, it's just so…TERRIBLE!" Bulma yelled, flinging a cushion at the sofa. "Vegeta's hurt and it's all my fault!"

"It's not your fault, Bulma."

"But it is. It IS!"

"Bulma, Vegeta'd still be hurt, even if you hadn't bumped into him."

"I still hurt him!"

"Look, Bulma. It wasn't your fault. How were you meant to know he was standing there?"

"I should have looked! I should have known he wouldn't stay in bed!"

"Why?"

Bulma considered it, then smiled hesitantly up at Goku. "Indeed: why?" She strode out into the lab to finish sorting Marron out, with Goku following her.

Krillin was waiting outside the lab when Bulma'd finished. When she held Marron out to him, he grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "I'm glad you're alright." His face turned dark. "Can't say the same about Vegeta, though."

Bulma looked at him furiously. "Have you seen the amount of blood he's lost!"

Krillin held up one hand to ward off Bulma. "No…"

"Well, that's obvious. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so mean to him."

Krillin looked at her furiously. "He killed my wife!"

"And she tried to kill him."

"So!"

Bulma sighed and went into the other room. She came back with a bucket full of blood. "This is the amount she took from Vegeta. Almost 7 pints of blood. We're lucky Vegeta survived."

"But my wife DIED!"

"So! As I said before, if you'd had this much blood taken out of you, you probably would have died! As it is, Vegeta can barely stand up on his own! You know how powerful he was before: he could shoot a _ki_ blast as easily as he could breathe! And now he has to struggle to stay upright!"

Krillin shuddered at this enormous reduction in _ki_.

"And, if that wasn't enough, he's got bruises all over him because of whatever Juu-hachi-gou did to him when he was helpless! And his healing wasn't helped when you decided to use him as a punchbag!"

Krillin shuddered again, this time at the thought of what Vegeta would have done to him if he hadn't been weakened.

"But what happened?" Goku asked.

Bulma took a deep breath. "When someone gets blood taken out of them, it weakens them. Vegeta's had enough blood taken out of him to kill a human. Therefore, he has been made very weak. If it had happened to me or Krillin or Yamcha, we'd have been killed."

Goku stared at her. "Really? You've gotta be kidding, right?"

Bulma shook her head.

"But to Vegeta…she wouldn't have been able to keep him there for long enough!"

"I don't know how she managed that, all I know is that Vegeta's been seriously injured, and it's my job to heal him."

"Okay, but…how long before Vegeta'll be alright again?" Goku asked.

"He'll have to spend about a week in bed, and I wouldn't advise him having a proper fight for at least a month, as I said before. And I won't let him train for three weeks."

There was a gasp of horror and pain behind her. She turned around and found Vegeta leaning on the doorframe, bent over in exhaustion from the walk.

"VEGETA! YOU SHOULD BE IN BED!" Bulma yelled at him, her expression furious.

"I…know…onna…" Vegeta gasped, clutching the doorframe for support.

Suddenly, Bulma was under one of his arms, wrapping one of her arms around his waist and yelling to Goku to help her get Vegeta back to his bed. Goku grabbed Vegeta's other arm and helped Bulma haul Vegeta back into his room, despite his weak protests. Finally, they got to the bedroom and lifted Vegeta carefully back into his bed. As they turned to leave, Vegeta grabbed Bulma's arm. "…onna…"

Bulma turned to him. "Yes?" she asked, her tone softer than before.

"Did you…mean what…you said about…training?"

"Yes." This time, Bulma's voice was cold.

"No." Vegeta gasped, propping himself up on his elbow.

"Yes. You can't train in this condition! Even walking into the hall made you exhausted!"

"So?"

"You'd be killed by the type of training you did before!"

"No, I won't."

"Yes you will, and I'm going to lock up the gravity room for at least two weeks."

"WHAT!"

"You heard me. I'm not going to have you injuring yourself on 10x Earth gravity."

"Lock up the GRAVITY ROOM!"

"Yes."

"You can't lock up the gravity room!"

"I can and I'm going to."

"And that'll keep me out of it! I CAN just blast the lock!"

"By the time you can do that, it'll probably be off."

"I can _ki_ blast now, you know!"

"Possibly, but you won't be able to reach the gravity room."

"Who says, onna?"

"I do, and I probably know your capabilities better than you."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, I'm right. And you're lucky you're not going to hospital." Bulma said as she stormed out.

"The only reason you didn't force me is that you knew I wouldn't let you!" Vegeta yelled after her, then collapsed on the bed, knowing full well that Bulma was right about him not being able to train.

"Goodbye, Goku!" Krillin and Bulma called as Goku translocated off home. Bulma turned to Krillin. "I can tell I'm going to have my hands full with Vegeta: he'll probably keep complaining about not being able to train."

Krillin nodded sympathetically to Bulma and took Marron from her arms.

"Well, better get on, I suppose…Bye, Krillin!"

"Goodbye, Bulma!" Krillin called as he strode out the door, carrying Marron. "And death to Vegeta: the tournament of wits has begun!" he muttered under his breath.


	2. Flames Rising

_**Note:** I do not own DBZ nor any of the characters, they belong to Akira Toriyama. I just made up the story.

* * *

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**Chapter 2: Flames Rising**

Vegeta groaned as he pushed himself up again. "…seventy-five…" he gasped, then collapsed on the gravity room's cold floor, sweat running down his face. He gritted his teeth as he thought of the week before, and how Bulma had yelled at him for training too hard. He forced himself up again, and continued with his push-ups. The light on the gravity machine glowed red, showing 100G. Then the gravity cut out. Vegeta forced himself to his feet, turning stiffly to see who it was, slightly annoyed at the interruption to his training.

Goku strode into the gravity room, looking for Vegeta. He ran forward, eager to see Vegeta again after so long apart.

Vegeta tensed up as he saw Kakarotto running towards him. He leapt up, landing on Kakarotto's right side and swinging his right foot out to catch Kakarotto in the stomach.

Goku staggered back, winded, and then had to immediately duck a punch from Vegeta. "Vegeta, STOP!" Goku yelled, going Super Saiya-jin and trying to avoid all of Vegeta's attacks.

Vegeta dodged and weaved skilfully, always on the offensive and seeking a way past Kakarotto's defences. Finally, his left foot hit Kakarotto squarely on the jaw.

Goku was flung to the floor, returning to normal as he sat there, stunned. He looked up slowly as Vegeta strode arrogantly over to him.

The GR door burst open and Bulma raced in. Vegeta looked up sharply and his eyes narrowed. Bulma stared at the scene for a few moments, and then ran to Kakarotto, helping him up. Then she turned to Vegeta.

"Why did you do that! He came in to see you and, from the look of this, you weren't sparring. And don't tell me that you were, because you weren't. Apologise right this instant!" Vegeta turned his head away. "APOLOGISE!"

"…sorry, Kakarotto." 'I hope you understand how much it cost me to say that to you.' Vegeta thought silently. 'Appreciate it.'

"That's okay, Vegeta." Goku said, a stupid grin plastered over his face.

Vegeta's clenched fists tightened.

As soon as the door had shut behind Bulma, Goku asked "Vegeta, you wanna spar?"

Vegeta rushed towards him, his punch narrowly missing Kakarotto's face as Kakarotto dodged to the left, grabbing Vegeta's arm as he did so.

"Vegeta, why're you so violent?" Goku called.

Vegeta's answer was a punch with his right arm, which Kakarotto blocked. Caught up in the battle, Vegeta kicked out with his right leg, hitting Kakarotto in the stomach and forcing him to let go. Vegeta drew back a little, then sent a ki blast arching towards Kakarotto.

Goku dodged to the side, out of the way of Vegeta's ki blast, and, turning Super Saiya-jin 2, waited there, wondering why Vegeta was acting this way. Then, he noticed several more ki blasts shooting towards him, and only just dodged in time. Vegeta raced towards Goku, kicking and punching in a blur of movement, But Goku reacted even faster, blocking as fast as he could and only just managing to stay out of the way of Vegeta's attacks.

Vegeta pulled back, panting for breath, and shot another ki blast at Kakarotto, feeling the reduction of ki as he put the last of his strength into one final blast. Then Kakarotto leapt up into the air. Vegeta didn't have the strength to control the ki blast. He didn't have the strength to move. He could only watch, helpless as Kakarotto shot towards him and slammed him into the hard floor. The last thing Vegeta remembered was that the gravity was still set to 100G, and would squash him flat.

Goku hovered, returning to normal and gazing down at the crater he had made, with Vegeta lying, motionless, at the bottom. 'Vegeta! Why didn't you dodge that attack, and why aren't you up again already? You were instantly up after an attack that powerful before!' Goku thought, annoyed. Then he remembered. 'Oh no! Vegeta wasn't fully recovered, was he?' He shot down and landed next to Vegeta, who's breathing was light, almost stopped. Then Goku remembered the gravity machine. He ran to it, and turned it off.

Then the door burst open, and Bulma ran in, having heard the noise. She took in everything in an instant, and then raced to Vegeta's side, kneeling down and feeling at his neck for a pulse. Feeling a faint flicker, she turned to Goku. "Goku, help me get him into the medical room, right now!"

Goku raced over, and lifted Vegeta gently in his arms, trying to find the position least painful for him, and then followed Bulma as she ran through the corridors to the medical room, where he laid Vegeta down carefully on the table that Bulma had indicated. He stood watching as Bulma pulled a machine over, activated it and then hurried around gathering various things as a computer printed out an x-ray. Bulma grabbed it and held it up to the light, quickly assessing the situation. Goku watched as Bulma pushed two hypodermic syringes into Vegeta's arm, then another into his leg. Bulma turned to him with a kind smile on her face. "You might want to leave now, Goku. I'll call you if I need help." Goku, obviously agreeing, left quickly.

Bulma turned back to the table, her smile turned to a frown of concentration as she picked up an operating tool to remove the splinter of Vegeta's rib that was cutting into his lung.

Goku waited outside until Bulma called him back in. He had wanted to stay near Vegeta, but had known that Bulma would probably be operating, and he simply couldn't watch. So he compromised by waiting outside. Finally, Bulma called and he rushed in. He saw that, thankfully, Bulma had finished and was now clearing up. Goku saw the corner of a sheet red with blood, and averted his eyes hastily.

Bulma turned to him. "I'm finished, Goku; now I need you to take him into the room that he was in before, you remember that one?"

Goku nodded and, picking Vegeta up again, carried him gently into the other room. Then he turned to Bulma, who was behind him. "What now?"

"Now, we wait for him to wake up, hopefully." Bulma said grimly. "I've done all I can: it's up to him to get himself through this."

Vegeta woke up, stiff and sore, in a dark room. Pushing aside his body's weakness, he sat up quickly, thinking he was still in the battle. Then he was pushed down again, slowly and gently. "Bulma…" he moaned, but a slim finger was pressed to his lips.

"Lie still now. There will be time for words later." Bulma said softly, and held a mug of warm soup to Vegeta's lips. She watched sadly as he gulped the soup, then hesitantly picked up a tray and placed the mug on it.

"Wait…don't…leave…" Vegeta gasped, and Bulma put the tray back on the table and sat down on the edge of the bed. He watched bemusedly as she burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry! I should never have let Goku in to see you!"

"He'd…have…come…anyway."

"Then I should've made sure he only stayed for one minute and been in there all the time, or, or, something!" She covered her face with her hands, sobbing.

Vegeta reached out and gently laid one hand on her arm, forcing himself into a sitting position. "I'm…okay…"

"No you're not! You could've died, despite all I did. All I could do was watch and hope that you didn't-" The breath caught in her throat, and she choked back a sob.

"I…wouldn't…have…"

"But you might! If I had been five minutes later-"

"But…you…weren't…"

Bulma shook her head. "I might have been if I hadn't noticed the ki blasts and gone over there to yell at you!" She noticed Vegeta's arm sliding down onto the bed sheet. "Rest now." She stood, picking up the tray again, and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Vegeta's head slammed back onto the pillow, and he fell asleep.

Bulma shut the door behind her softly, and turned to Goku, who was hovering outside. "He's sleeping now. Proper sleep this time."

"Is he okay?"

"He says he is, but I don't think so. He was having trouble breathing and got tired a lot quicker than he normally does. Less than five minutes!"

"How long-"

"More than a month. How long for-"

"About six."

Bulma groaned. "Did you ask anyway?"

"Yes."

"And can Trunks stay with you and Chi-chi?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Good. With the amount of trouble Vegeta's got into recently, it's probably a good idea. I've got a feeling that the trouble's just begun."

"Why?" Goku asked, curious.

"I don't know! But I don't think that we're going to have a peaceful year."

Goku nodded.

Four days passed uneventfully, and Bulma began to think that she might be wrong about trouble coming. On the morning of the fourth day, Vegeta woke up to find Bulma asleep in the chair by his bed. Quietly, he got up and walked out the door, leaning slightly on the wall. Unconsciously, he took the familiar path to the gravity room. On the way, he stumbled and fell, crashing into the floor, and mentally yelled for Kakarotto. 'Kakarotto, I need you, NOW!'

'Comin', Vegeta!' Goku called back, translocating to Vegeta's side and grabbing his arm to pull him up. "Whatcha doin' outta bed, Vegeta?"

"Going…to…train."

"You can't train if you fall over on the way. I'll take you back to bed."

"NO!"

"Yes. If you can't stand, how can you train?"

Vegeta pulled away from Kakarotto and tried to push his way forward, but tripped.

Goku ran forwards and caught Vegeta before he hit the floor, easily carrying him back to the room he had just left.

Just then, the door opened and Bulma strode out, looking for Vegeta, having woken up. When she spotted Goku carrying Vegeta, she raced over, glaring at Vegeta. "Goku, would you please take him back inside?" she snapped, and Goku hurried to do as she asked.

Vegeta was furious with Kakarotto, and mentally yelled all the swear words he knew, in all languages.

Goku didn't have to look in Vegeta's head to find the translations to the ones that he didn't know. His face turned red as he put Vegeta down roughly on the bed.

Vegeta winced as he was slammed down, but kept up his stream of insults at Kakarotto.

Bulma strode in and yelled at Goku. "Don't be so rough! He still has broken ribs, you know!"

Goku turned redder and translocated back home.

Bulma turned to Vegeta. "And you!"

Vegeta, however, was already asleep.

Bulma sighed, and left the room quietly, shutting the door behind her.

The next day, Kakarotto still hadn't come back. Vegeta decided to try to go and train again. This time, he knew that Kakarotto wouldn't stop him. He set out in the morning, and started struggling down the hall.

Just then, someone appeared and elbowed Vegeta in the stomach.

Vegeta doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. 'Kakarotto!'

'No, Vegeta. You're mean.'

The figure started choking Vegeta from behind, squeezing slowly.

Vegeta could feel the person's arm strangling him. 'KAKAROTTO!'

'No.'

The person got bored of that, and instead pulled out a box of matches, setting Vegeta on fire, then vanished as he raced off.

'KAKAROTTO, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!'

''Kay then.' Goku said, translocating right next to Vegeta. As soon as he saw Vegeta on fire, he panicked. "Oh Vegeta, what should I do?"

'CALL FOR BULMA, BAKA!' Vegeta mentally yelled at Kakarotto, screaming as flames burnt his back.

"BULMA!" Goku yelled finally.

Bulma strode calmly into the corridor. "Yes, what is-" She spotted Vegeta, and ran forward. "Goku, get some water!" she ordered, and Goku ran off to find some.

When Goku got back, he handed the bucket to Bulma, who poured it over Vegeta's back, dousing the flames. Then, Goku picked Vegeta up and carried him quickly into the medical room, where he laid him down on the table, then at Bulma's bidding, in one of the huge baths, on his stomach.

Bulma ran in behind Goku, and turned the tap on, splashing icy water over Vegeta's back. She carefully soaked the charred remains of his top off. "Goku, get him onto the table now." She commanded, hurrying to get the things she needed from the cupboards.

Vegeta winced as he was lifted up, then set down again on the table. He looked up as a cup of cold water was shoved into his hand.

"Take small sips frequently." Bulma ordered, then lightly placed a sterile wound dressing on his back.

Vegeta clenched his teeth and took a quick sip of water, feeling the prick in his arm as antitoxins were injected into his bloodstream, then another in the other arm, a painkiller. He smiled slightly as he heard Kakarotto's sharp gasp, and footsteps leaving for the lounge. Some things never changed.

Bulma bit her lip, sitting down. "I don't know what to DOOOO!" she wailed, bursting into tears. Then Vegeta started to say something, and she strained to hear.

Vegeta smirked slightly. "Bakana…onna…just…leave…I'll…be… alright…"

Bulma looked at him disbelievingly. "Are you sure?"

"Of…course…"

Just then, the fire alarm went off.

"You…go…I'll…be…fine…"

"I'll get Goku to come back for you!" Bulma yelled as she dashed off to find him.

"No…I'll…be…fine…"Vegeta gasped after her, but she didn't hear him. He painfully rolled off the bed, crashing to the floor. Levering himself up, he pulled himself forward, moving his arms out to their full extent, then pulling his body up to them. When he finally got out of the door, the hallway was a mass of flames. A burning beam from the ceiling fell right in front of him, throwing up a sheet of sparks. Another fell behind him, landing on his leg. He choked back a scream of pain, knowing that it would only use up the little oxygen he had left faster.

Bulma, meanwhile, had been searching for Goku. Finally finding him outside, where it had started to rain, she ran up to him. "Goku, you've got to go and get Vegeta!"

Goku nodded, immediately finding Vegeta's power level and translocating to him. Seeing Vegeta on the ground, he threw off the roof beam, then picked him up gently.

Vegeta winced in pain as he was lifted, then feebly opened his eyes. "Ka…ka…"

"It's okay, Vegeta. I'll get you outside." Goku said, translocating out.

Bulma had been waiting outside worriedly for about 5 seconds when Goku appeared with the limp form of Vegeta in his arms. "Vegeta!"

Vegeta's breath was heavy; it was an effort to breathe. He was unable to stifle a gasp of pain as Kakarotto shifted position, and the pain along his side flared up again.

Bulma stared as the burns covering all the visible area of Vegeta's skin. His trousers from the knees upwards, gloves and boots were still pretty much intact. The same couldn't be said for Vegeta. "Where was he, in a furnace or something?" she asked Goku furiously.

Goku backed away. "No, in the hall."

Bulma laid her hand on Goku's arm as she heard Vegeta's sharp intake of breath. "Stay still. Every time you move, you jolt him."

Vegeta smiled faintly. Finally, someone had thought of it. Then, his smile disappeared as pain wracked his body.

Bulma glared at Kakarotto. "Just what're you DOING! Trying to kill him!"

Goku froze. "No. But isn't the floor more still?"

Bulma sighed. "Yes, I suppose…BUT BE GENTLE!" She glared at Goku as he set Vegeta down, then strode off to see what she could find to salvage amongst the ruins; the fire had gone out in the rain.

Goku followed her.

Vegeta lay on the ground, breathing heavily. He tried to sit up, winced as the concrete rubbed across his burnt back, then pushed himself to his feet, swaying, and took one step forwards. And collapsed. Levering himself up on his elbows, he rested momentarily, gasping for breath. Then forced himself to his feet again, and staggered, step by weary step, into the ruins of Capsule Corps. after Bulma and Kakarotto.

Bulma strode uncertainly through the ruins. Most of it was burned to the ground, but the gravity room was untouched by the flames. She frowned, biting her lip as she thought. This fire hadn't been random enough. Only a few walls were left standing, blackened by ashes. By the hospital room where Vegeta had been, two roof-beams had fallen. She kicked one, and it collapsed into a pile of ash and glowing embers.

Goku wandered through the remains, absent-mindedly wondering what Chi-chi would be making for dinner. He noticed Bulma standing a short way off, and hurried to catch up with her.

They were both so absorbed in their own thoughts, they didn't notice Vegeta until he collapsed on the ground a few meters behind them.

Vegeta's blurred eyes noticed the forms of Bulma and Kakarotto in front of him. He staggered forward a few steps, then his legs collapsed beneath him and he fell to the ground.

Bulma turned quickly to see Vegeta lying in what had once been the hallway, and ran over. Goku turned to see where she was going, then raced to Vegeta's side and helped Bulma to pick him up.

Vegeta swatted at Kakarotto and Bulma's hands, annoyed at himself for falling. They carefully helped him to his feet, and he swayed slightly, putting one hand out against the remains of a wall for support.

Goku took one step back, looking concernedly at Vegeta. "You should've stayed where you were!"

"No." Goku turned to look at Bulma questioningly. "This fire wasn't an accident. Someone was trying to kill us." She looked directly into Vegeta's eyes and he looked back into hers. "And you know who."

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"No."

"Why?"

Vegeta shook his head, swaying back and forth, his strength spent.

Bulma caught Vegeta gently as he fell forward. She turned her head to look helplessly at Goku, who shrugged, then stepped forward to help. Bulma sighed as Goku lifted Vegeta, and then abruptly went over to do an analysis. Once she had finished, she shook her head, upset. "Third-degree burns, and scratches and bumps all over. Can't you ever stay out of trouble?"

Vegeta smiled slightly, then went limp.

Bulma reached towards Vegeta's neck and felt for a pulse. Finding one, she turned her head to look directly at Goku. She didn't need to say anything: they both thought the same thing at the same moment. Dende. It was Vegeta's only hope for survival.

Wordlessly, Goku checked his grip on Vegeta, took Bulma's hand, then focused, transporting himself, Bulma and Vegeta directly to the Lookout.

Dende turned to greet them, Mr. Popo standing next to him. "Hi, Goku…and Vegeta…Bulma, what happened?"

Bulma shook her head amazedly. "You didn't notice?"

Dende frowned. "Not as such. What happened?"

"Capsule Corps. was set on fire."

"WHAT! Then why's Vegeta burnt? He could easily outrun-"

"He was already hurt." Goku cut in.

"Hadn't he recovered from the unpleasantness with-"

"Mostly, but he got hurt again. Will you heal him?" Bulma pleaded

"Sensu beans-"

"Not ready for months. Please hurry!"

"Okay." Dende knelt. "Lay him down." He carefully examined Vegeta, turning him over for inspection. "Mr. Popo, get me a jug of water." He turned to Bulma. "I haven't healed someone for years, and if I try to heal Vegeta now, the burns might go septic. Also, I might not be able to heal him fully: as I said, I'm out of practice. I'm going to try to clean them as much as possible first. What do you think?"

Bulma nodded firmly. "At least try."

Dende turned to take the jug of water from Mr. Popo. "Thanks." He poured the cool water over the red burns on Vegeta's back, trying to wash the dirt off as gently as he could.

Vegeta had actually been conscious for a while. Unable to open his eyes, he couldn't see, and was only able to hear the others' voices as a faint murmur. Water poured slowly down his back, and someone started rubbing. His teeth clenched against the urge to cry out. Then something stabbed down into his back, and he screamed in pain. The _thing_ in his back wiggled around, then wrenched itself out. Vegeta collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

Bulma glared at Dende as he threw away the bloody, jagged rock that he'd just pulled from Vegeta's back. "You could have been more gentle!"

Dende looked at Bulma with sorrowful eyes. "I wish I could have. I'll try healing him now." He extended his hands over Vegeta, and shut his eyes.

Bulma watched anxiously as pulses of light came from Dende's hands and into Vegeta. She saw the burns close up, healing in a few seconds until only a red mark remained. Then, abruptly, the pulses stopped and Dende moved his hands away. "You healed him." she breathed.

"I did my best, but it'll take a while before he's up to full power again." Dende nodded sadly as Bulma gazed in disbelief at him. "I healed him as much as I could, but I didn't have enough strength to replace his. It'll be a while: maybe a week, maybe two, maybe a whole month. But he is healed. And he has as much strength as I could give him." Dende stood up, and bowed.

Goku lifted Vegeta gently onto his shoulder, held Bulma around the waist and, rising slowly, shot off back to Capsule Corps.

Once they landed in the ruins of Capsule Corps., Goku let go of Bulma's arm, and slowly started lowering Vegeta to the ground. Vegeta groaned weakly and tried to twist away, but Goku took a firmer grip on him so he didn't fall, and laid him down carefully.

Vegeta felt his back touch the floor, and slowly opened his eyes. Kakarotto was in front of him, wandering away, and Bulma…Where was Bulma? His eyes cast around for her, then he spotted her standing by the one remaining wall. Her eyes looked damp. Tears. She was crying. He rolled onto his stomach, then forced himself to his knees, trying to stand up. She was crying. He must stop her tears.

Goku looked up as Vegeta fell to the ground for the second time. He strode forward and gently pushed Vegeta down onto his back as he struggled to rise for the third time. "Lie still."

"No." Vegeta moaned, trying to push Kakarotto's hand away. "Bulma!"

Bulma heard, and looked up, rubbing her hand across her eyes to clear them. "Vegeta!" She ran to him, knelt and cradled Vegeta's head in her arms. "Vegeta, I'm here. Are you…okay?"

"Yes…" One of Vegeta's hands reached up to touch the side of her face. He gently wiped away the last of her tears, and then lowered his hand. "Don't…cry, Bulma…"

Bulma smiled faintly. "O…okay…Vegeta, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have let you get hurt!"

Vegeta sighed. "It's…not your…fault…don't…worry…about it." He pulled away, and forced himself to his feet, but almost fell. Instantly, he felt a hand under his arm, helping him up. Bulma! Grateful for the support, he stood, putting a hand out against the wall to help him balance.

Goku stood back, watching as Vegeta regained his balance.

Bulma pressed herself against Vegeta's chest, sobbing. "Vegeta, someone's trying to kill us! What shall we do!"

Vegeta stiffened, then awkwardly placed one arm around Bulma, then the other. "We'll…be fine, we'll…get through it…together." He rested his head gently on her shoulder, as the sun set behind them.


	3. Kidnap

Chapter 3- Kidnap 

With a forced calmness, Bulma strode into the dining room in the Son House. She smiled slightly as she remembered the look on Chi-chi's face when Goku had turned up at the door with Bulma, supporting Vegeta between them. That had been yesterday. The smile quickly turned to a frown as she remembered the pain Vegeta had suffered the night before. Trunks, who had been sitting at the table, turned right around to face her and grinned. Goten, sitting on his other side, also grinned.  
Goku immediately stopped eating and looked up at her. "How's Vegeta?"  
"He's still asleep. Personally, I'm not surprised. He's been through a lot in the past couple of days."  
"Otou-san still asleep? He never usually sleeps in past eight!" Trunks looked worriedly at Bulma, who sat down.  
"Yeah! Is he alright?" Goten asked, upset because Trunks was worried.  
"He's perfectly fine, he just needs to recover his strength." Bulma replied, half turning as Chi-chi set a bowl of rice in front of her. "_Arigatou gozaimasu_, Chi-chi-san."  
Just then, Vegeta walked in, wearing some spare clothes and leaning heavily on the wall. "Otou-san! Trunks yelled, jumping up and grinning at Vegeta, who smiled weakly in return, then stumbled to a seat. Trunks hurried over, slipping an arm around Vegeta's waist, and helped him to sit down.  
"_Ari_…_gatou_," Vegeta said as Chi-chi placed a bowl of rice in front of him. He worked his fingers around the chopsticks before struggling to lift food to his mouth. The food fell back into the bowl before it was halfway to Vegeta's lips.  
Trunks's fingers gently slipped the chopsticks from Vegeta's hands, and carefully lifted some rice towards Vegeta's mouth. He pushed the rice past Vegeta's lips, one hand darting out to catch a few grains of rice before they hit the floor. Vegeta chewed slowly, and swallowed. Trunks tipped the rice from his hand back into the bowl, then picked up more with the chopsticks.  
Tears welled up in Bulma's eyes, and she brushed them away irritably before picking up her own chopsticks. Vegeta would be okay: Trunks would look after him, even if she couldn't.  
Vegeta looked at Bulma and smiled slightly, then grabbed Trunks's hand as it raised the chopsticks to his mouth again. "I can…do it…myself." He snapped, taking the chopsticks back and, falteringly, raised some rice to his mouth. It dropped into Trunks's waiting hand, and he put it back in the bowl. Vegeta reached again for the rice, and shoved a bit into his mouth.  
The chopsticks dropped, Trunks catching them. He lifted some more rice to Vegeta's mouth, and pushed it in.  
Then the chopsticks were slipped from his hands by Vegeta, who, forcing his body on, swallowed the rice, then ate another mouthful before reaching for a third. The chopsticks dropped from his hand onto the floor, and he slumped forward, strength gone.  
Trunks reached forward and stopped Vegeta's fall before he landed face-first in his bowl of rice, and shook him gently, trying to get some response. Finding none, he looked at his mother, who had risen and was walking around the table.  
"We'd best get him back to bed." Bulma said to Trunks, who put his arm under Vegeta's and rose into the air so that Vegeta's feet were off the ground. Then, he flew after his mother as she strode down the hall towards the room they'd been lent by the Son family.  
Trunks paused at the door, but Bulma beckoned him in. "Will otou-san be alright?" he asked, setting Vegeta down gently on the bed.  
"He'll be fine, he just strained himself." Bulma said with a calmness she didn't feel. "Go and finish your breakfast." Once Trunks had left, shutting the door behind him, she felt for a pulse. Finding one, she relaxed and went back to her own breakfast.

Vegeta shut his eyes. Something rustled, and he jerked his eyes open. Nothing. Fighting sleep, he scanned the room. Nothing so much as out of place. Then what was making him uneasy? He drifted off to sleep.  
As soon as Vegeta's eyes closed, a shadow moved in the dark room. The shadow moved over to the bed, and injected something into Vegeta's bloodstream. Lifting the limp body, he pushed the curtains aside, opened the window and jumped out, carrying his inert 'passenger' to a pre-arranged location.

Near lunchtime, Bulma came in to check on Vegeta. On finding his bed empty, she sighed. 'He must have woken up and went for a walk, or to train,' she thought. 'Well, to train, anyway.' She went into the kitchen to ask Chi-chi if she could help with the cooking, sure that Vegeta would turn up for dinner, if not lunch.

Meanwhile, Vegeta was just waking up. He found himself in a metal box. Startled, he immediately tried to get out. Punches, however, had no effect whatsoever, and as soon as he tried to summon his ki for a blast, an electric shock ran through the box, and he fell to the floor. As he lay there, gasping for breath, he remembered something. 'Kakarotto?' he thought, trying to project it so the other saiya-jin heard it. Another shock ran through the metal, and he screamed, collapsing. Vegeta pushed himself to his feet, and then fell again as yet another shock pulsed through. As he lay on the floor, he felt a prick in his arm. Turning his head, he saw a hypodermic syringe filled with a clear fluid emptying itself into his body. As he passed out, he saw a dark figure standing over him.

"Goku, can you sense Vegeta's ki or not!"  
"Well, I thought I could for a moment, but…"  
"Yes or no, Goku!" Bulma was starting to get impatient.  
"Umm…no."  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NO! HE CAN'T HAVE VANISHED INTO THIN AIR!"  
Goku backed away hurriedly. "He probably doesn't want to be found. If he was in trouble or something he'd find some way to tell us…right?"  
Bulma sighed, and nodded. "Yes, I suppose. I just can't ignore this feeling that he's in danger somewhere…"  
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it, so let's eat dinner," Chi-chi suggested. Goku agreed instantly, and Bulma went to call Trunks and Goten in for dinner.

Vegeta opened blurry eyes, then reached up a hand to rub at them. Things slowly came into focus. He looked around his temporary prison. Metal walls, polished until they shone. Shone? Where was the light?  
He finally found it: a fluorescent tube set in the ceiling. Half expecting to be shocked again, Vegeta summoned his ki and shot a small beam at the light. It shattered instantly. Yet no electricity surged through the metal. No needle appeared from the floor.  
An electronically modified voice echoed around the box. "Very well, pet 'prince', if you want to be left in the dark, that's your choice. I suggest you save your energy."  
"Why should I, omnipotent idiot!" Vegeta challenged.  
A small shock rushed through the metal, just to remind Vegeta who was in charge. "You be good and I might just remember to feed you sometime this year," the computer voice boomed. "It isn't necessary, you know. I could just as easily starve you."  
"But you won't do that," Vegeta responded confidently.  
"Why not?"  
"Because then all this," he waved one hand, contemptuously indicating the metal cage, "would be a waste, and you might as well kill me instead of wasting time making all this stuff."  
"Very clever, pet prince. Yet you didn't take into account one small thing. Entertainment. That is the sole reason I have brought you here, instead of killing you straight off. I will find your pitiful struggles entertaining. In fact, I might just go prepare the popcorn now."  
"What do you mean, entertaining!" Vegeta snarled. "My 'pitiful struggles', eh? You come in here and I'll show you! I bet this 'pitiful' being can beat you up with his hands tied behind his back!"  
"And why should I? It would be a waste of my time. Not to mention boring."  
"Yeah, whatever, Krillin."  
"What makes you think my name's Krillin?" The voice was computer-generated, so it couldn't waver, but Vegeta thought he detected a hint of a pause.  
"You're the only one shorter than me, if you don't include Trunks and Goten, but they're too stupid to think something like this up. And they don't have a motive."  
"…okay, so I am Krillin. What's your point?"  
"Ha! I could beat you with my eyes closed!"  
"You want a challenge?" Now the computerized voice was off, and Krillin's voice echoed through the room.  
"No trouble, if you're stupid enough to offer it!"  
"Me?" Now the voice sounded surprised. "When did I say it would be ME you would be fighting?"  
Vegeta spun around at the sound of a metal door screeching open. And, running through the door in a blur, came…  
'It can't be Juu-hachi-gou! I killed her!' Shocked, Vegeta didn't move fast enough to dodge the kick, and was flung against the wall. He stumbled back to his feet, gathering his ki. A beam from Juu-hachi-gou 2 hit his arm, then another one singed his hair. He burst into Super Saiya-jin, lunging for the android. She ducked, scything his legs from under him, then flicked him to the floor. Vegeta struggled up, only to be punched in the stomach. He doubled over, dropping out of SSJ. Juu-hachi-gou 2 paused, half-turned, then spun around, kicking Vegeta's head. He fell to the floor.  
Juu-hachi-gou 2 tossed her hair back, then strode easily out of the room. The door clanged shut behind her.  
"As you can see," Krillin chuckled, "You are weak."  
Vegeta powered up to SSJ, then was hit by another electric shock.  
Krillin laughed. "Tut tut. No powering up, remember?" He noticed that Vegeta was asleep. "Well, sweet dreams, _prince_." The sound cut out.

Goku sat up straight in bed.  
"What is it, Goku?" Chi-chi asked sleepily.  
"…I'm not sure…" Goku frowned, focussing. "I thought I felt Vegeta's ki…just for a moment…but I'm not sure…"  
"Go back to sleep, Goku… We'll find out in the morning…"  
Goku nodded. He lay down, wrapped his arms around Chi-chi, and fell asleep.  
Chi-chi sighed. "I don't know what he's so worried about… Vegeta's perfectly able to take care of himself…" She sighed, snuggled up to Goku, and closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, Chibi Trunks had been trying to get Goten to wake up. "GOTEN!" he yelled for the twentieth time, hitting him over the head with a pillow. Again, Goten only yawned and rolled over. "GOTEN!"  
"Huhmawhawhatayasay?" Goten sat up. "Trunks… Whattaya want? It's the middle of the night."  
"Yeah, Goten. The perfect time to have some fun."  
"What kinda fun, Trunks?" Goten groaned.  
"How 'bout a midnight feast?"  
Goten jumped out of bed, grinning. "YOU BET! …oops, I mean, you bet," he whispered.  
Trunks nodded. "To the kitchen," he whispered. Goten followed him into the kitchen, and over to the fridge. Trunks opened it and started passing food back to Goten, who piled it up on the table. Finally, when there was barely anything left in the refrigerator, Goten and Trunks sat down at the table. The two were just about to start eating, when…  
"What are you two doing!"  
Goten and Trunks spun around to see Bulma standing in the doorway in her pyjamas. "Uh-oh, it's mom," Trunks hissed to Goten.  
"AND DON'T YOU 'UH-OH' ME!" She switched to a whisper, remembering the other people trying to sleep. "Just what are you doing!"  
"Umm…midnight feast?" Goten asked.  
"What are you doing out of bed, mom?" Trunks asked.  
"I was just coming in here for a snack…which is a good thing, as it enables me to stop you two from eating the Son's out of house and home!"  
Trunks snickered. "You got a bit hungry, too, eh, o-kaa-san?"  
"Put this food back in the fridge and get back to bed!" Bulma yelled, forgetting to whisper.  
Trunks and Goten sighed. "Yes o-kaa-san," they chorused, then shoved all the food back into the fridge and trooped back into their bedroom.  
"Ah, peace," Bulma said sarcastically, then cut a slice off a loaf of bread, munching on it. "Poor Vegeta…Oh well, I guess he's staying away for a reason. As soon as he gets back, I'm going to find out what that reason is!" She swallowed the rest of the bread and walked back to her room, snuggling back into her bed. "Oh Vegeta…" She sighed, then rolled over, trying to get back to sleep.

"Well, Goku? What was bothering you last night?"  
"Something was bothering him?" Bulma frowned. "What?"  
"…I have absolutely no idea!" Goku grinned, laughing. Bulma and Chi-chi sweat-dropped.  
"But Goku, you must have some idea! What if it's Vegeta…!" Bulma covered her mouth. "Oh, something must be wrong, why isn't he here what happened to him where did he go!"  
"Relax, mom," Trunks sighed, finishing his breakfast. "Dad can sort himself out."  
"Yes, I know, it's just…I'M SO WORRIED!" Bulma wailed.  
"You gonna eat that?" Goten asked, pointing at Bulma's bowl of cereal.  
Bulma pushed the bowl over to him and continued. "He could be anywhere! He could have been KILLED! He could be hurt and trapped and unable to escape!"  
Goku frowned. "I'll go find him if you want, Bulma."  
"Yes please, Goku." She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and blew her nose. "Poor Vegeta…"  
Goku finished his 100th bowl of cereal, stood up and walked out. "I'm gonna find Vegeta," he said, and teleported away.

Vegeta woke to find that the light hadn't been fixed. He had no idea what time it was, but he was hungry. He powered up, using his aura as a light to look around. Everything was exactly as it had been when he went to sleep. He sighed, and sat down on the floor, bored. A hatch slid open by the door and two dog-bowls slid in, one full of water, the other containing meat-smelling mush. Vegeta ignored them. 'I refuse to eat dog food.'  
'What dog food, Vegeta?'  
"Kakarotto?" Vegeta asked, then realized that the voice came from his head. Well, it seemed like Krillin was still asleep, at least. 'Kakarotto, where are you! Get over here now!'  
'Where are you anyway?'  
'HERE, Kakarotto!'  
'And where is "here"?'  
'How should I know? Can't you sense me or something?'  
'Too low ki, Veggie.'  
'Fine,' Vegeta thought at Goku, then powered up. 'How's this?'  
'Better, Vegeta.' Goku teleported into the cell. "Wow Vegeta, it's dark in here!"  
"Second life-force detected. Identify or destruction is imminent. Krillin notified."  
Goku spun around, and peered curiously at the grill where the voice was coming from. "Hi. I'm Son Goku. What's your name?"  
"Voice print confirmed. Son Goku, state reason for entry."  
"What?"  
"That means you need to say why you're here, Kakarotto," Vegeta said helpfully.  
"Well, I'm here to rescue Vegeta, of course." Goku tilted his head to one side. "You mean Krillin is in charge of all this stuff? Cool."  
"Information denied. Reason not identified as viable. Life-force will be terminated in five seconds."  
"Teleport us out of this at once, Kakarotto!" Vegeta yelled.  
Goku grabbed Vegeta's shoulder, and teleported them out just before the blast hit them.

"He got away…" Krillin slammed his fist on the computer, which beeped warningly. "And I haven't even finished reprogramming Marron yet!"  
Juu-hachi-gou 2 walked in. "Her programming will be finished in two weeks. One, if I could be permitted to work without these distractions," she said, smiling.  
Krillin smiled back at her. "Well, you know, I couldn't go without seeing your face for an entire week."  
Juu-hachi-gou smiled back at him. "Well, all you need to do is create another clone."  
"I couldn't do that, I don't have the equipment. And the stuff I used, Bulma's, was destroyed in the fire." He gave a fake-sigh. "So tragic…"  
"Yes, well…" She tweaked one of his ears. "If you want the programming finished…you have to let me work on it…"  
"…okay, anything you say." Krillin sighed as she left the room. "What a woman. Or, in this case, android."

Goku and Vegeta landed in the kitchen of the Son house, where Chi-chi was finishing the washing-up from breakfast. She spun around, and frowned at Goku and Vegeta. "No, I don't have any more breakfast. Vegeta, Bulma was worried about you. She'll probably yell at you, so I suggest you get it over with. She's in the room you two were sharing. See you for lunch, if she lets you come." Chi-chi turned back to the washing-up.  
Vegeta let Goku drag him into the room he shared with Bulma. "Hey Bulma, guess who's back!" Goku called, a huge grin plastered over his face.  
"And about time too." Bulma turned and glared at Vegeta. "Just where have you been! I've been worried sick about you, and did you care! Of course not! You run around trying to prove you're the 'strongest' and that you 'can beat Kakarotto', but you never have a care for how I feel when you're gone, do you! And now I bet you just went to this other planet or something, just to train, and you never thought twice that someone might actually want to know where you're going-" Her breath caught in a sob.  
"It's not Vegeta's fault, it was Krillin-"  
"Kakarotto, get out."  
Goku blinked, shrugged, and left.  
Vegeta locked the door behind him and turned to Bulma. "Can't we skip this? You're really mad at me, you yell for a few hours, you threaten me with banishment and hatred forever and so on and so forth."  
Bulma smiled slightly. "You want to just kiss and make up?" she asked softly.  
Vegeta paused to check that everyone else was out of earshot, then nodded.  
"Okay. But act like I've yelled at you for hours, hmm?" Bulma sighed softly as Vegeta rolled her onto the bed. 'My arrogant, self-centred, conceited, egotistical, possessive, stubborn, wonderful prince.'

* * *

Sorry this is so late: I had stuff to do over March Break, and I kept getting distracted, and I didn't have a plot summary for this one... Oh well, it's finally up. 


	4. CampOut

**Chapter 4: Camp-Out**

"Lunch time!" Chi-chi called from the kitchen. Bulma rolled out of bed and pulled on a shirt and pants. Vegeta sighed, forced himself up, and also started getting dressed.

Trunks ran in. "You're gonna have to hurry or the food'll be go- um…just hurry, alright?" He ran out again.

Bulma laughed. "Well, you heard. Lets go eat."

Vegeta smiled slightly, then followed Bulma to the kitchen.

"So, how long will you guys be staying?" Chi-chi asked.

"Not for long, probably," Bulma replied. "Why?"

"Well, I'm going to have to go shopping, and I'm not sure if I'll have enough money to get food for you three too." Chi-chi shook her head. "I'd like you to stay, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to pay for the food."

"We can camp at Capsule Corp.," Vegeta snorted. "What's the problem?"

"Chi-chi, could you look after Trunks? I'll pay for his food and everything. Vegeta and I can camp out." Bulma smiled at Vegeta. "You finally had a good suggestion."

Vegeta snorted, then went back to stuffing his face with the lunch.

Bulma frowned. "Come on, I was just joking!"

Vegeta blinked, then shrugged.

"Do you have any camping stuff?" Chi-chi asked, changing the subject.

"No…" Bulma frowned. "I suppose we'll have to go shopping and buy some. We can go after lunch, I guess. Could you take us when you go shopping?"

"Sure," Chi-chi replied. "Not a problem. Though you might have trouble getting in the car on the way back."

"I can buy us a car when we get there. Thanks, Chi-chi," Bulma smiled.

Chi-chi smiled back. "No problem. We can leave…just after I finish the washing-up."

"Great." Bulma finished up her lunch, then brought the dishes into the kitchen to help Chi-chi start the washing-up.

Vegeta and Goku walked outside to spar while Bulma and Chi-chi did the washing-up. Goku kicked at Vegeta, but Vegeta ducked it, and punched at Goku. Goku blocked, and countered with a leg-sweep, which flipped Vegeta onto his back. Vegeta rolled back to his feet, avoiding a ki blast, and sent his own back at Goku. Goku dodged it easily, then spun to block Vegeta as he lashed out with his foot. Goku punched at Vegeta's stomach, but Vegeta blocked it.

As they struggled for control, Vegeta heard laughter. He turned his head to find Trunks and Goten, a little way off, and in exactly the same positions he and Goku were in. Both were giggling hysterically. Vegeta growled at them.

Trunks blinked. Then sighed. "Come on, Goten," he said dejectedly, then dragged the still-laughing Goten back into the house.

Vegeta sighed, then ducked as Goku swung another punch at him.

Bulma walked out. "Vegeta, we're going now! Get over here!"

Vegeta slipped out of the headlock and flipped Goku into a rock. "You go shopping on your own! You don't need me along."

"You suggested it, so you're coming! Now get over here, princeling, so we can get this done before dinner!"

Vegeta groaned, then walked over. He jumped into the car, and Chi-chi drove them off to town.

"Here's the clothes store!" Bulma grinned, stopping the shiny new car just outside. "You stay here and look after the car, I'll be right back."

"You mean you don't want me coming in there and messing up your deals with the manager," Vegeta snorted.

"Well, did you really expect him to just give you the car because you said you were the 'saiyajin no ouji'? What does it matter, anyhow? It's not as if you've got anyone to rule over."

"Kakarotto."

"Oh yes, you've got him. Not that he'd ever actually blow someone up just because they wouldn't give you a car."

"Yeah whatever, can we just get this over with so I can go back to sparring?" Vegeta groaned.

Bulma laughed. "Did you think we were going back to the Son house now? No, we're going to go eat out somewhere, then we'll go set up camp. And tomorrow we can order the building supplies, go out for lunch, and get the builders started-"

"I don't want any stupid humans messing around with my gravity room!"

Bulma sighed. "Well, then you'll have to do all the building yourself, and I won't allow anything of the sort, so…"

"Kakarotto can do it."

"Goku? He couldn't put together a kinder surprise if you told him 50 times! How's he meant to put together a house!"

"I'll tell him what goes where, of course."

"Okay," Bulma frowned, "but you're not to help with any of the lifting, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, whatever," Vegeta sighed. "Honestly, you're so fussy, I don't know why I put up with you…"

"Because you love me, and I built you the gravity room," Bulma replied coldly.

"Well, because you built the gravity room," Vegeta teased.

Bulma mock-growled at him. "And you're a stupid, arrogant, ignorant, brainless-"

"Prince," Vegeta finished for her.

Bulma frowned. "How come you're not the king? I mean, you're dad died, didn't he?"

"Yes…but I wasn't crowned king, hence, I'm not king," Vegeta shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to wait until we get another wish."

"I doubt anyone would let you use that wish."

Vegeta leaned into her and whispered in her ear, "Who said they'd be the ones giving the orders by then?"

Bulma shrugged. "Whatever. I'm going to get the camping equipment. You-"

"Stay in the car, I know," Vegeta grumbled. "Get on with it."

Bulma sighed, then walked into the store.

Vegeta waited in the car, staring at his feet, glancing around at what was going on every now and then. "Protect the car. Feh," he frowned, glaring at an old couple hobbling past, "it's not as if anything will happen, anyway…"

The driver's door opened and Juu-hachi-gou 2 sat down. "Why, hello."

"Get away from me, android!" Vegeta spat at her.

"Why, that isn't nice. It's not as if I enjoy this. Krillin ordered me to. Anyway, he said to tell you that 'playtime's over and now the big boys are coming to play king-of-the-hill'." She shrugged. "Anyway, see you around." She slipped out of the car, and was quickly lost in the busy crowds.

Vegeta scowled, forcing his heart back to its normal rate. "What does 'king-of-the-hill' mean, anyway," he grumbled.

"I don't know, should I?"

Vegeta turned to see Bulma standing near the car, glaring at him. "What!" he growled.

"Would you please help me carry the bags to the car?" Bulma asked sweetly.

"Fine," Vegeta sighed, getting out of the car and following Bulma back to where the packages were piled. He picked them up, and carried them to the car, pausing as Bulma opened the trunk before shoving them all in. He sprang easily into the front passenger seat of the car, pulling the door shut after him.

Bulma sat in the driver's seat, and pulled the car away from the kerb.

As they drove away, Vegeta thought he saw Juu-hachi-gou 2 grinning at him, but by the time he turned to look, she was gone.

Bulma drove to Capsule Corps., and parked the car in what had been the garage. She got out, and pulled the tent out of the trunk, carrying it over to the back yard. She pulled the handle, and the tent sprang up.

Vegeta strolled up behind her. "Why're we using such an old-fashioned tent?" he asked.

"I decided it would be fun. I mean, we haven't had a proper vacation since…forever." She frowned at the tent. "You think it should be a little more to the left?"

Vegeta sighed. "It's alright where it is, now let's get on with it already. I'm hungry."

"Nobody would know, considering the amount you ate for lunch," Bulma teased.

Vegeta glared at her.

"Yeah, fine, okay, we'll go out for dinner in a sec, I just want to get changed…" She grabbed the top package and hurried inside.

Vegeta sighed and leaned against the car. Bored, he looked around. Capsule Corps. was essentially flattened. However, the gravity room was still standing…

"Okay, let's go!" Bulma strode out of the tent, wearing a red silk top and a black velvet skirt.

Vegeta sighed. "Silk and velvet?"

"Yes. We're going somewhere with good food. Therefore…" she twirled, "well-dressed. You should get something fancy on too."

"I don't have anything 'fancy'."

"That's okay." Bulma winked at him. "I got something for you."

Vegeta glared down at the black silk shirt and pants. "It looks ridiculous," he grumbled.

"Nonsense!" Bulma grinned. "You look fantastic!"

"Oh, great," Vegeta said sarcastically. "I can see you've got great 'fashion sense'."

Bulma frowned at him. "Actually, I do. Those clothes suit you perfectly, and they fit. I wasn't sure of your sizes, I had to guess, but I did a pretty good job, don't you think?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Great!" Bulma flashed a dazzling smile at him, opened the car door, and jumped in.

Vegeta groaned, then slid into the passenger seat.

Bulma pressed a button, and the car zipped off.

It seemed to Vegeta that this had to be the fanciest restaurant in the universe. He looked down at the table, which had about 50 different kinds of forks on it, and sighed. "What's this for?" he asked, glaring up at the waiter.

"Why, that's the chicken-prepared-in-a-cheese-sauce-fork, sir," the waiter answered immediately.

"Why did we come here to eat?" Vegeta complained to Bulma.

"Well, it has the very best food, and the very best servers." Bulma wiped her mouth daintily on a napkin.

Vegeta looked down at the forks again. "How am I meant to tell these apart, anyway!"

"It's very simple," Bulma said, leaning over. "The ones with seven prongs are for fish, the ones with twelve are for sushi, the ones with six prongs are for chicken, the ones with eight prongs are for chicken in a sauce, the ones with five prongs are for turkey, the ones with three prongs are for the solid dishes that nobody knows the ingredients to, the ones with four prongs are for vegetables, the ones with five and a half prongs are for beef, the ones with three and a half prongs are for pork, and the ones with two prongs are for various deserts."

"And how the hell am I meant to remember all this!" Vegeta grabbed a fork at random and began eating.

"No! You can't use your chicken-pot-pie fork to eat roast chicken!"

"Why not?" Vegeta paused, the fork halfway to his mouth.

"It's considered very bad taste, and sometimes even rude." Bulma glared at him.

Fine!" Vegeta glared back. "Which fork do you use to eat roast chicken, then!"

"That one," Bulma replied instantly, pointing at a seven-inch-long fork with six prongs. "That's for roast chicken."

"Okay, then," Vegeta said sarcastically, picking the correct fork up and using it to eat the chicken.

Desserts arrived. "Alright, which fork is for the chocolate-fudge-cake-with-mint-icing?" Vegeta sighed.

"That one," Bulma replied.

Vegeta picked it up, and started eating.

"Sir has excellent taste," one of the passing waiters commented. Vegeta smirked.

Bulma sighed. "Great, expand the ouji's ego. Superb planning there, Goku."

"How'd you know it was me?" Goku frowned. "I'm meant to be in disguise."

Bulma sighed again. "Well Goku, if you're in disguise you should hide your hair. Yours is very…distinctive."

"…oh." Goku frowned. "D'you think I should use some gel in it?"

"NO! I mean, no, Goku, it sticks up quite enough as it is."

"Oh. Then should I dye it? Or maybe I should curl it, that'd look cool…" Goku speculated.

"NO! You should cover it! Use a hat or something!"

"But I don't have a hat," Goku grinned at Bulma. "My hair doesn't fit."

Bulma groaned, then turned back to eating her apple-berry sundae.

Vegeta had already finished his chocolate fudge cake, and was sitting there staring at Bulma.

Bulma blushed, and put down her fork. "I'm full," she smiled, and stood.

"What about the bill?" Vegeta asked, curious.

"Oh, I own this restaurant. I don't ask for anything except that me and my friends be able to eat here for free."

"…oh. Makes sense," Vegeta agreed. He took her hand, and walked back to the car with her.

Bulma woke up to the sunlight shining through the walls of the tent. She rolled over sleepily, then sat straight upright. Vegeta was gone! She pulled a dressing gown on, and searched the tent. Vegeta was nowhere to be seen.

An exploding noise came from outside. Bulma frowned, then clenched her teeth in anger, stomping over to the gravity room and slamming the door open.

Vegeta looked up, surprised. "What now!" he snarled.

"What do you mean, 'what now'!" Bulma snapped back. "I wake up to find you gone, I was out of my mind with worry for you, and now I find you here, doing the one thing you're forbidden from doing! What did you have it set to, anyway!"

Vegeta moved quickly to cover the computer. "Umm…10x earth gravity?"

Bulma looked suspiciously at him, then pushed him out of the way and glared at the screen. "10x, yeah right! More like 300x! You're not allowed to train! You've got to help me re-build Capsule Corps., since it's your fault it cot burnt down anyway. Now come over here and we can decide on plans for the house."

Vegeta sighed, but followed Bulma back into the tent, where Bulma pulled out the blueprints to the original Capsule Corps. "Right, this is what it looked like. Do we want to make any modifications?"

Vegeta shook his head stubbornly.

"Great! That means that I can go straight ahead and order the materials." Bulma grinned, and picked up the phone. "Hello, is this the building supplies stockyard? This is Bulma Briefs… Listen, we had a fire a few nights ago and the building burnt down, do you have the list from the original order…? Yes, we need everything. No, we have…some people who are willing to re-build it by themselves. Yes, probably, but they insisted…yes…yes…thanks, bye." She clicked off the phone. "They'll be here in about half an hour. I'm going to have a shower and get dressed. I want you," she poked Vegeta in the chest, "to clear away all the junk from the old building. And I don't want to find you training. Understand?"

Vegeta sighed, then nodded.

"Great. Bye!" Bulma waved to him, opened a capsule house, and disappeared inside.

Vegeta glared at the mess of concrete on the lawn. Suddenly, he brightened up. He sent a small ki blast at one of the pieces of concrete. It blew up, leaving a small scorch mark on the ground. Vegeta grinned, sending more ki blasts at the rubble. Soon, the lawn was cleared.

Vegeta had just finished when a construction truck pulled up in front of the lawn. The driver leaned out and waved to him.

Vegeta headed inside, to find Bulma just finishing off putting on her make-up. "There's the guys from the company outside to see you," he said coldly.

Bulma nodded, frowning into the mirror as she applied her eyeliner. "Do you think I should put on a bit more eye shadow?"

Vegeta shrugged. "I don't know why you bother to use that stuff at all. It really doesn't help."

Bulma smiled, and put down the eyeliner. "They're here already? Great. Tell them I'll be out in a minute."

Vegeta frowned at her. "So I'm your messenger boy now?"

Bulma sighed. "Fine, don't bother. I guess I'm done now, anyway." She picked up her handbag, and followed Vegeta outside. "Hi! Yeah, I ordered that stuff. Bulma Briefs, Capsule Corps.," she said, holding out her hand.

The driver shook it. "Kerry Black, construction company. This guy" he cast a disapproving look at Vegeta, "the one who's building the place for ya? I mean, it doesn't look as if he could reach the lower floors, let alone the top of the dome. You hiring a crane?"

"No, I don't-"

"Listen here, you," Vegeta interrupted, "I can build anything I want to, I don't need some high-school brat telling me how to do it, and I could easily reach the top of any building you care to name!"

"Hey, chill," Kerry retorted. "Ya sound like ya gotta problem there. I reckon ya should hire a crane, missus, that's all I'm sayin'." He got back in the truck. "Hey little guy, ya unloadin', or what?"

Vegeta sighed, then walked round to the back of the truck and grabbed the pile of building supplies, dumping it on the lawn.

Kerry stared at him. "You can lift that pile in one go, man?"

"Yeah, it's easy," Vegeta snorted, glaring at Kerry.

Kerry shrugged. "You're really strong, mister."

"Yes, and he shouldn't be lifting that much at once. He should be recovering," Bulma said, glaring at Vegeta.

Vegeta shrugged. "It wasn't that heavy."

Kerry drove off quickly.

"Yes, but you don't need to hurt yourself in order to show off! He would have been as impressed if you'd taken half the pile at a time, and then you wouldn't have to run the risk of injuring yourself!"

Vegeta sighed. "So what? I'm not injured, the stuff's all here, where's the instructions? Or am I expected to put it together by guesswork?"

"NO! Of course not, idiot! There's no chance you'd get half of it right!"

Vegeta glared at her. "Really? Well then, would you care to hand me the instructions? Or get me some breakfast, I'm hungry."

Bulma glared back. "Get your own breakfast, I'm not your slave!"

"Fine!" Vegeta stomped into the capsule house.

"Fine!" Bulma retorted, turning her back on him and striding into the tent.

Five minutes later, Bulma walked into the capsule house and sat down at the table next to Vegeta. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

Vegeta put down his knife and fork. "Great. Now, instructions?"

Bulma sighed. "I'll have them ready for you by tomorrow. I'm sorry, but last time the builders did it from memory, and we never needed any actual plans."

Vegeta shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

They sat in silence. Then Bulma got up. "Well, if I'm going to have those plans done by the end of today, I guess I'd better get started." She turned, and left.

Vegeta finished his breakfast, and walked into an office. He pulled out some sheets of paper, and started designing his latest idea: an automated robot, which could adapt itself for any environment or circumstance. Vegeta was inventing it as a super-smart sparring partner, one who could instantly adapt another fighter's skills for its own use.

He was so busy he didn't notice the time until Bulma came in. "We're going out for dinner in five minutes, so get changed…what's that you've been working on?"

Vegeta hastily shoved the completed robot plans into his pocket. "Nothing."

Bulma shrugged, then frowned at him. "You didn't have any lunch, did you? Idiot! How do you expect to get better if you don't eat!"

Vegeta scowled at her. "I'll manage."

Great!" Bulma threw her hands in the air. "You won't eat, you insist on training, when do you expect to get better, next year!"

Vegeta reached up and kissed her. "I love you when you're angry," he whispered in her ear.

Bulma blushed, then pushed him away and turned quickly. "I'm going to get changed. You put something nice on, okay?" She left in a hurry.

Vegeta sighed, then walked into the tent and pulled out the black silk clothes. He scowled at them in disgust, then spotted something underneath them. Grinning, he tossed the silk aside and pulled out a pair of navy satin pants and black boots with gold trimmings. Along with it was a navy satin top, long-sleeved, and white gloves, also trimmed with gold. Vegeta discarded his training clothes and put on the satin. Finally, he pulled on the gloves and boots. Lastly, he pulled his medallion from childhood out of his hair and slipped it around his neck. Finally, he strode outside to meet Bulma by the car.

Bulma looked him up and down in wonder. 'Wow, he actually looks like a prince!' she thought. "You ready?" she asked, allowing nothing of the amazement she felt to creep into her voice.

Vegeta smiled. "Of course."

It was later that night. They had finished their dinner, and Bulma was driving them back home. "I think you were very well mannered tonight, Vegeta," Bulma said. "You actually acted like a prince."

Vegeta sighed. "I am a prince. Therefore, however I act, I act like a prince."

"Yes, but the manager actually commented on it. He said that if he didn't know better, he'd think you were the king of a planet."

"I am." Vegeta smirked, then turned away.

They drove the rest of the way home in silence. When they pulled up in front of the former Capsule Corps., Bulma was surprised to see Goku standing near the gravity room. "Why're you here?" she asked Goku, as she got out of the car.

"Oh, I'm over here to spar with Vegeta," Goku replied cheerfully.

Bulma glared at both of them. "No! Vegeta, your recent injuries haven't recovered sufficiently to allow immense physical activity!"

"What's that mean?" Goku asked, scratching his head in confusion.

Bulma sighed. "It means that Vegeta's still hurt from before and shouldn't train or spar for a while."

Vegeta glared at Bulma.

"She's right, you shouldn't fight when you're hurt. It's not like you have to get super-strong all of a sudden," Goku agreed.

Vegeta spun around, and glared at Goku too. He quickly formed a ki blast, and threw it at Goku.

Goku easily deflected it back at Vegeta, who barely dodged it in time. "See, Vegeta? I can't spar with you until you can deflect your own ki blasts, it'd be stupid."

Bulma strode over and slapped Vegeta. "And don't you even think about going Super Saiya-jin! Not for a week at least, or I'll destroy the gravity room!"

Vegeta opened his mouth, then shut it again, spun around, and walked away.

"And you're not allowed to fly, either!"

Vegeta turned quickly. "And how are people supposed to know I'm a saiya-jin if I'm not allowed to fight, fly, or go Super Saiya-jin! It's like I'm not even a saiya-jin any more!"

"Calm down, Vegeta," Goku said, walking over and putting a hand on Vegeta's shoulder.

Vegeta shook it off angrily, and glared at Bulma.

"It's not as if anyone could forget you're saiya-jin! You remind us every other sentence, and your hair is rather obvious."

"That's not the point! There are plenty of stupid Chikyuu-jin who go around with spiked hair and say they're from another planet but how are people supposed to know who's real and who's just pretending! It's not as if any of them have a brain capacity beyond the size of a grain of rice!" Vegeta yelled.

Bulma paused, then walked over to Vegeta and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Vegeta. I didn't know your saiya-jin heritage meant so much to you, or I wouldn't have teased you about it."

Vegeta patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. "It's alright, Bulma." He turned to glare at Goku. "Get out of my sight!"

Goku shrugged, then teleported off home.

Vegeta carried Bulma into the house. "How about some…gentle exercise before we go to bed?" he said softly.

"You'll need plenty of energy tomorrow," Bulma reminded him.

"I'm a saiya-jin," Vegeta chuckled, dropping her on the bed. "We have plenty of energy."


	5. Buried Alive

A/N: I didn't know about the forks in the last chapter, I just made it up. All other questions should be answered in this chapter.

**Chapter 5: Buried Alive**

"Time to get up!" Bulma prodded Vegeta awake. "Goku's already here."  
Vegeta groaned, but rolled out of bed and started pulling clothes on. "Already? It's just after 6am!"  
"Goku goes to bed early," Bulma shrugged, turning to grab her coat.  
"But he was working as a waiter at that hotel last night!"  
"I guess he got a full night's sleep," Bulma replied, smirking at Vegeta.  
Vegeta sighed, pulling on his boots. "Yeah, whatever. I'm up, aren't I?"  
"I guess…" Bulma tossed Vegeta a bun. "Eat up. I'm going over to have a chat with Chi-chi, so I have to trust you two to do it yourselves. Much as I hate it."  
"Whatever," Vegeta shrugged and headed out the door.  
"Hi Vegeta!" Goku waved happily. "Where'd Bulma get such a big tent? It's almost as big as my house!"  
"I have no idea," Vegeta groaned, glaring at Goku. "Why couldn't you have come a bit later? I was asleep."  
"You should wake up bright and early, Veggie," Goku grinned. "Of course, you should also eat more…"  
"I have my stomach under perfect control, Kakarotto. Unlike you," Vegeta smirked, then half-jumped as his stomach rumbled.  
"Ha ha, good joke, Vegeta," Goku laughed.  
Vegeta growled. "Let's just get on with this building. I want to get it over with."  
"Fine, Vegeta," Goku shrugged. "Where do I put this?" He pointed at a huge roof beam.  
Vegeta slapped him. "Idiot! We have to start with the walls, the roof won't just float up there until we have something to support it with!"  
Goku shrugged. "What do we start with, then?"  
"Wait a moment," Vegeta sighed, then stomped inside, grabbed the blueprints Bulma had left on the table, and stomped back out. "Here!" He slammed them down on top of the roof-beam. "We start by pushing these poles into the ground."  
"Okay!" Goku pushed them into the ground.  
"No, not just anywhere. We need one here…" Vegeta scraped an "x" on the ground with his boot. "And one here, here, and the last one here."  
"O-kay, Vegeta!" Goku pushed them in easily. "That far enough?"  
"Too far, Kakarotto," Vegeta sighed, looking down the hole to the top of the pole. "Take them out, we'll start building over here instead. This time, push them in only until that red line around the bottom is underground."  
"Fine." Goku did as he was told.  
Vegeta sighed. "Finally," he muttered, then turned to the next thing they needed.

By lunchtime they had finished one wall. They sat under the shade of it to eat the sandwiches Chi-chi had made for them.  
"You know what, Vegeta?" Goku asked, chewing thoughtfully on his sandwich.  
"What?" Vegeta asked, annoyed.  
"Well, we've known you more than ten years, and in all that time you've never stopped training. Don't you think you're due a vacation?"  
"I don't need a vacation, Kakarotto, I need my planet back."  
"Well, why don't we wish that on the dragonballs the next time?"  
Vegeta paused for a moment, then nodded. "Why didn't you think of this before!"  
"Well, I didn't know that you wanted it back."  
"And if Earth was destroyed, wouldn't you want that back!"  
"Yes, but you never gave any signs of wanting it back, I mean, you never complained about it…"  
"Yes, Kakarotto, that's because it happened years ago. I got used to it. So would you if Earth had been destroyed more than 20 years ago, and you couldn't get it back." Vegeta scowled and folded his arms. "I'm so used to it's absence now that I don't know what I'd do if it did exist again."  
"Would you go home?" Goku looked at him worriedly. "Life would be so much more boring without you, Vegeta."  
"Well…" Vegeta started. That was as far as he got before the wall collapsed, burying both of them in a pile of rubble more than 50 foot deep.  
"That was easy," Krillin muttered, looking at the pile of rubble. He pulled Vegeta's plans for a sparring robot out of his pocket and looked at them. "These could be useful, if they ever get out of there," Krillin snickered, shoving them back in his pocked and walking away.

"Goku should be home by now! What's Vegeta keeping him there for!" Chi-chi yelled at Bulma. It was after 6pm. "I bet they're sparring again! Those guys can never do as they're told!"  
"What makes you think he should be home by now?" Bulma asked.  
"I didn't pack Goku a dinner, just a lunch! He should be home by now! I don't want all this food I made being wasted!"  
Bulma nodded. "You want a ride?"  
"No thanks, I can drive myself. Where's the car!" she yelled at her sons.  
"I already told you, Gohan decided to take Videl to the movies!" Goten yelled from the next room.  
"And I already told you, Videl decided she'd prefer to come back here!" Gohan yelled from upstairs. "The car's outside!"  
"Let's go!" Chi-chi said determinedly, stomping out the door. She and Bulma got into their own cars, and they drove off towards the remains of Capsule Corps.

Underneath the pile of rubble, Vegeta stirred, then tried to sit up. After a while, he gave up, and looked around. It was pitch black, and he couldn't see anything. Finally, he gathered his ki, and formed it into a ball. Blinking in its light, he looked around.  
He was trapped under a bile of rock. Finally, the source of the ache in his legs became obvious: they were crushed by a chunk of cement. He shifted slightly, then powered up, reducing the rocks crushing him to dust. However, no sooner had he some breathing room than more rocks dropped from above. The weight crushing him didn't seem any lighter. He flared his aura again, then froze as he heard, just on the edge of hearing, a low moan.  
"Kakarotto," he muttered, and flicked a small ki beam in Goku's direction, then flew down the passageway quickly, before it could close up again.  
Vegeta frowned, and shook Goku. "Wake up, Kakarotto!" he spat, but Goku didn't move. Finally, Vegeta gave up, and started forcing his way to the surface, dragging Goku behind him.

Bulma and Chi-chi finally arrived at Capsule Corps. Bulma jumped out of the car before it had completely stopped, and gasped to see the huge pile of rubble.  
Chi-chi gaped. "W-what…where's Goku!"  
"I think he and Vegeta are buried under that thing," Bulma groaned, gazing up at the 50 foot pile.  
"What're they doing under there, then! Goku could get out from under there easily! …unless he's hurt…" Chi-chi started sobbing. "My Go-chan's hurt!"  
"Calm down," Bulma reassured her, "he can look after himself. But let's start digging, just in case."  
"O-okay," Chi-chi sniffled, and pulled out a shovel. "Let's get rid of this stupid pile of rock and save my Go-chan!" She walked over and determinedly started digging.  
Bulma sighed, shaking her head, then began to help.

Goku woke up to find himself being dragged through a heap of rocks by Vegeta. "Vegeta, what's going on?"  
"Krillin tricked us," Vegeta grumbled. "I wasn't paying attention, I was concentrating on that baka conversation. He snuck up on us and collapsed that wall on us."  
"Oh," Goku replied, then paused. "Then why're we still under here?"  
"Sorry, would you have preferred I left you to get yourself out?" Vegeta muttered sarcastically.  
"Oh yeah, you were still hurt. Sorry, Vegeta. I'll get us out, just a sec." Goku powered up to SSJ3.  
"I can get myself out," Vegeta snarled.  
"Oh, come on Vegeta, you helped me now I'll help you." Goku grabbed hold of Vegeta's arm, then pulled Vegeta over and grasped him around the waist before flying up, smashing easily through the rocks.

Bulma looked up to see Goku, carrying Vegeta, fly out of the top of the pile of rubble. "Chi-chi! There's Goku!" she yelled, running over as Goku floated down.  
Goku landed, powered down, then lowered Vegeta to the floor. Vegeta's knees buckled, and he had to lean against Goku for support.  
Chi-chi strode over and slapped Vegeta across the face. "How dare you let Goku get into such a dangerous situation! He could have been killed! And you didn't even do anything to help him escape!"  
"Calm down, Chi-chi…" Goku murmured.  
"Why should I! The least he could do was try to help you, not just force you to do all the work!"  
"Vegeta, why're you so exhausted! Goku, what were you two doing! If you were sparring again…" Bulma trailed off, glaring at them.  
Goku held up a hand. "Calm down! Chi-chi, Vegeta was dragging me out when I woke up-"  
"You were knocked out! Vegeta, how dare you do that to Goku! Goku, don't you realize Vegeta could have killed you at any time! How dare you leave yourself so vulnerable!"  
"He could've, but he didn't. Chi-chi, please calm down…"  
"Krillin did it," Vegeta said. Everyone stared at him, and he smirked. "Didn't you realize it yet? Krillin knocked the wall down on us. I was knocked out too, but I couldn't wake Kakarotto up when I found him…"  
"You were knocked out too, Vegeta! Why, I should put you in the hospital for the rest of the year, there's no way you'll have a chance of getting better otherwise," Bulma groaned. "You seem to be having an emergency every day or so."  
"I don't believe you," Chi-chi said stubbornly. "If you were knocked out too, then how come you woke up before Goku? It doesn't fit."  
"Vegeta, you're bleeding!" Bulma yelled, noticing cuts on Vegeta's arms, legs, and face.  
"Oh, leave him there to die," Chi-chi spat, furious at Vegeta.  
"And would you stand by and let Goku die!" Bulma retorted, searching her pockets for anything that could help.  
"At least Goku didn't try to kill us!"  
"Actually, Vegeta said that's why I was originally sent to Earth," Goku mumbled.  
"Goku, you're coming home," Chi-chi said, ignoring Bulma's smirk. She grabbed Goku's arm and dragged him towards their car.  
Goku propped Vegeta up against the pile of rock, then obediently followed Chi-chi to the car. Bemused, he let her push him into the passenger seat, and waved to Bulma and Vegeta as Chi-chi drove off.  
Bulma waved back, grabbed a first aid kit out of the capsule house, and carried it outside. "Gosh, Vegeta, can't you go a week without getting another stupid injury!" She sighed, smiling slightly to see that Vegeta had already fallen asleep, and started bandaging Vegeta up.

"Aww, come on, Chi-chi, Vegeta didn't drop that wall on us! Why would he do it, anyway?" Goku cocked his head at Chi-chi.  
"I don't care! He's a danger to you and our family and I don't want you going near him again!" Chi-chi glared at Goku. "He could hurt you, he could get you killed – again! – and I for one think you could do more good at home with your family instead of wandering off with Vegeta!" Chibi Trunks and Goten snuck past her into the kitchen, but she didn't seem to notice. "You're neglecting your family for the sake of that – that arrogant princeling! Vegeta can get himself a robot if he wants a sparring partner, but you're staying home!"  
"Vegeta's not the one who got me in danger, Chi-chi! It was Krillin! It's not Vegeta's fault that Krillin decided to collapse that wall on us!" Goku frowned at Chi-chi. "Come on, even you must admit that Vegeta wasn't responsible for that!"  
Chi-chi sighed. "Fine. I admit that it wasn't his fault. And… I'm sorry that Vegeta's hurt."

"He survived," Krillin sighed.  
"Oh well, you didn't really expect that to work, did you?" Android 18 asked, typing on the computer.  
"No, not really…but have a look at these plans, would you?" Krillin asked, tossing Vegeta's plans for a sparring robot over to her.  
Juu-hachi-gou unrolled them and looked at them. "A prototype sparring robot. With just a few modifications, it would be an unbeatable challenge." Juu-hachi-gou looked up at Krillin. "Where did you get these?"  
"Vegeta planned it out," Krillin laughed. "The perfect revenge, don't you think? By the way, how're you getting along with Marron?"  
"Done," Juu-hachi-gou said, smiling. "I'll start on this," she flicked a finger at the blueprints, "in the morning. It should take about a week to get the programming done, and another week to build it."  
"Great," Krillin muttered, rubbing his hands together. "I'll send Marron to attack next week, just to keep them on their toes." He smiled. "Vegeta, you have two weeks to live."


	6. Marron Attacks!

**Chapter 6: Marron Attacks!**

It was a week later. Capsule Corps. had been rebuilt by the professionals that Bulma had called in after the wall collapsed. Vegeta was finally healed, and would be allowed to re-start his training later that day. Best of all, there had been no attacks by Krillin. Bulma was beginning to relax. Vegeta, however, was still suspicious.

He pondered the future as he aimlessly wandered Capsule Corps. It seemed entirely too bright and, warrior that he was, he didn't trust it. Bright futures too often turned to an unprepared battle, and a quick death.

'Bright futures, and overconfidence,' Vegeta thought, as he absentmindedly touched his chest, where Frieza had blasted him. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts, he didn't notice Marron until he bumped into her.

The young girl looked up at him with curious eyes. Vegeta, startled, regained control of himself in an instant.

"Why are you here!" he snarled. Marron blinked, smiled, and head butted Vegeta in the stomach. As Vegeta collapsed forward, she kicked him in the chin, sending him flying. He crashed into the wall, then leapt back onto his feet. Angry, Vegeta powered up into SSJ2, but Marron jumped, punched him in the back of the head and sent him into the other wall.

Vegeta's face hit the concrete and he spat out blood. 'Where is Kakarotto when you need him! Kakarotto!'

Goku straightened, putting down his food and immediately becoming serious. 'Vegeta?'

'Kakarotto, I'm being attacked.'

'Ok, I'll be right over.' Goku stood up. "Goten, Trunks? Vegeta's in trouble. Let's go help."

Trunks immediately put his food down and walked over to Goku. Goten sighed, shoved the rest of his food in his mouth, and followed.

Vegeta, weak from Marron's attacks, slumped on the floor. Marron stood over him, readying her power for a killing blow.

Goku took everything in in a moment. Trunks ran forward, but was thrown back by a kick.

As Marron readied her ki for a death blow, Goku snatched Vegeta from under her grasp. Marron turned, furious, to see Trunks and Goten zooming towards her. The double-kick sent her flying, but she instantly jumped to her feet, countering with a double blast that almost chopped their feet off, and a blinding flash.

Trunks, unprepared for the flash, caught it full-on, but Goten, who'd been watching the ki blasts, avoided it. He shot a returning ki blast at Marron, then pulled Trunks out of the way as Marron fired another blast at them.

Goku laid Vegeta down on the floor, then turned back to the battle.

Trunks recovered, punched out at Marron; she avoided it, but was hit in the face by a jump-kick from Goten. Pushed back, she did an easy flip, landing neatly in front of them. A quick kick sent Trunks flying into the wall, and a punch sent Goten after him.

Rising unsteadily, Goten looked around for Trunks. "Trunks, where are you?"

"You're sitting on me, idiot," Trunks grumbled. Goten quickly jumped off, allowing Trunks to sit up. "What do we do now?"

"Uh…get more to eat?" Goten asked with a huge grin.

Trunks sighed. "I mean to fight Marron…wait, where is she?"

Goku immediately switched his focus, searching for Marron. It was only as he looked around that he realized Vegeta had disappeared too.

Vegeta stirred. His arm ached. His warrior's sense told him to remain still, so he took the time to assess his situation. His body tinged with pain, so he'd probably been in a fight. That same pain told him he had lost. Which planet had it been? He couldn't remember. With that realization came fear Frieza would kill him for this.

Vegeta forced himself to concentrate. Frieza was dead. Killed, at least 10 years ago. By the boy that turned out to be his son. He focussed, ignoring the injuries that would slow him down for over a week. Frieza was dead. Cell was dead. Buu was dead – then who had he been fighting?

The realization hit him in a flash. Krillin. Him and that stupid android wife of his…

Vegeta searched for a ki but couldn't find one. He swore under his breath. What had happened to Kakarotto? Surely he couldn't be dead? He stifled a groan. If Kakarotto was dead, Chi-chi would kill him.

But, he realized, Marron wouldn't kill Kakarotto. Krillin, her so-called father wouldn't let her. So Kakarotto must be alive, and Vegeta couldn't sense him, he must be…

Somewhere else, where his ki-sensing abilities couldn't reach.

Or, he realized suddenly Marron had given him a laxative. That would account for the initial drowsiness, and the inability to sense ki. And the ache in his arm. Certain he'd figured it out, Vegeta opened his eyes.

To see a brick wall.

Okay, no longer in Capsule Corps. He sat up, to find himself facing the dead end of an alley. Hopefully, he was still in the same city, as he had no idea about Earth cities beyond that.

His eyes darted about, searching for Marron. When he didn't find her, he cautiously stood up, leaning on the wall for support. Okay, no Marron, but no Kakarotto either. He wasn't that far from Capsule Corps., he could see it down the street, but Marron might have laid a trap…he shook himself. Before, he'd never worried about traps, always sure of his own abilities. However, since his arrival on Earth…_you mean since I met Kakarotto_, he'd been less certain, unconfident. A lack of confidence lead to a lack of life.

Shaking himself, he glared towards the alley mouth The most likely place for an ambush.

But why should he be afraid of a trap? He was the saiya-jin prince, after his father's death, the uncrowned king. His father had never feared a trap: why should he?

Squaring his shoulders, he walked towards the alley mouth.

And banged into an invisible ki-wall. He blinked, then pushed forward. His hands touched the ki wall, sending a small ki-shock up his arm. Startled, he jumped back, dropping into a fighting stance. When he saw no other danger, he relaxed slightly, then jumped upwards.

To bang into another ki-wall, He fell back to the ground, but recovered before he made contact. No way out.

Suddenly calm, he sat, crossing his legs. He couldn't get out, so he would wait until someone came and got him.

Goku frowned. Marron and Vegeta couldn't have vanished into thin air. That meant they must be somewhere, probably close.

Trunks frowned. "Hey Goku? Where's Marron… and where's otousan!" he asked, noticing Vegeta's absence. Goten looked around, confused.

"I don't know. I'll try to find Vegeta." Goku placed two fingers on his forehead and concentrated. After a minute, he removed them. "I can sense Vegeta's ki, but I can't teleport to it. Something's stopping me. We'll have to hurry."

Goten and Trunks nodded, then raced after Goku. They ran down the corridors of Capsule Corps., but hit s dead end. Swallowing anxiety, Trunks quickly lead the way outside, then they followed Goku down the road.

Trunks saw Vegeta, sitting not 10 metres away from them. "Otousan!" he yelled, rushing towards him. Only to slam into the same invisible wall.

"Vegeta!" Goku shouted, running up to where Trunks was trying to push his way through the wall.

Vegeta stood, turning. "Kakarotto, it's a trap."

"What! Goku shouted, then jumped out of the way of Marron's punch. Powering up, he flicked a ki blast at her, then zoomed close and kicked her.

Marron pushed off the wall and sailed over Goku's head. As she fell, she sent small ki-blasts at Goku and Trunks. Then Goten jumped, landing on her head and pushing it down into the concrete, before bounding off and landing, in a fighting position, next to Trunks.

Marron jumped up again, kicking out at Goten. He was flung into a building, and she turned her attention to Goku and Trunks. A quick blast-punch combination sent Goku crashing to the ground. An easy kick threw Trunks face-first into a wall. Finished, she turned to Vegeta.

Vegeta sighed, watching Marron walk towards him. 'Here we go again…' He powered up, as much as he was able, and prepared to die.

Goku looked up, saw Marron advancing. Saw the blankness in Vegeta's eyes. Saw Trunks running towards them.

Trunks jump-kicked Marron into the ground, leapt between her and Vegeta, and focussed his energy.

Marron turned, to see a ki blast headed right for her, With no time to move, she froze as it shot towards her, and blew her into a thousand fragments.

Trunks, gasping for breath, walked through the now-dissipated ki wall to his father, and collapsed at his feet.

Vegeta picked Trunks up gently, and carried him over to where Goku was helping Goten up. "Can we go home now?" Goten asked, yawning.

"Okay," Goku said gently. "Let's go. "He turned to Vegeta and Trunks. "You coming?"

Vegeta shook his head. "I'll take him home. It's about time he saw his new room, anyway." Goku teleported himself and Goten back home. Vegeta carried Trunks back inside Capsule Corps., and up to his (Trunks's) room. He laid Trunks on the bed, and tucked him up. Trunks stirred, opening his eyes slightly. "Did I do good?"

Vegeta smiled slightly. "Yeah," he said gently, "you did good."

Trunks sighed, and fell asleep. Vegeta lingered for a while, then strode out.

Krillin stormed into the room. "What happened to Marron!" he yelled at Juu-hachi-gou.

Juu-hachi-gou pushed back from the computer. "She was destroyed," she said matter-of-factly. "We didn't count on Goku, Goten and Trunks showing up."

Krillin slammed his hand on the desk. "We can't lose! Vegeta must die!"

"Yes, and if you leave me alone, I can finish the programming." Juu-hachi-gou frowned at him, then turned back to her computer.

Krillin glared at her, then stomped out. "Soon, Vegeta!" he snarled. "Soon, I'll have my vengeance!"


	7. Heart's Blood

**Chapter 7: Heart's Blood**

Vegeta yawned, pushing himself out of bed. After all the problems of the past months, it was nice to be able to relax. Both Juu-hachi-gou and Marron had been killed, and Krillin would be too cowardly to attack alone. He shouldn't have anything more to worry about until the next evil villain turned up.

He was dressed and walking down to breakfast when a huge metal fist came through the wall. He automatically leapt aside, turning to see his attacker. He froze, recognising the android he had drawn the plans for. "Trunks! Get your mother to safety now! And get Kakarotto over here!" Dropping into a fighting stance, he groaned inwardly: he hadn't been allowed to start training again, he was too slow…

The rest of the android tore its way through the wall. Vegeta leapt sideways to avoid a descending punch, then rolled to avoid a kick. He smirked as he sprang to his feet: if he could keep this up, he wouldn't have to show his attacks until Kakarotto got there, giving them an advantage in the battle ahead.

A whip-like tail yanked Vegeta's legs out from under him, and he instantly reconsidered, rolling sideways to avoid the android's fist. As he sprang to his feet, he was knocked forward by a kick. He rolled as he hit the ground, but the tail grabbed him by the leg and threw him through the wall. He pushed himself back to his feet, but the machine was suddenly behind him, kicking him through the wall again. Then it was in front of him, pounding him back to the ground, and before he could move, the tail came down…

And Goku slapped it away. Goten and Trunks jumped from beside him and kicked the android, sending it flying. They powered up to Super Saiya-jin, firing ki blasts after the robot, but it dodged, launching itself back towards them. Goten and Trunks dove out of the way. Goku grabbed Vegeta and carried him out of the robot's path.

"Bulma…" Vegeta groaned.

"It's okay," Goku muttered. "Trunks brought her over. She's with Chichi."

Vegeta smiled faintly. "Thanks…"

Goku grinned back. "Don't mention it." He jerked his head up at a smashing sound. Trunks went through the wall and landed nearby.

Vegeta glared at the android, then turned back to Goku. "Go. I'll be fine here."

Goku nodded, then raced back into the fight, Trunks right behind him.

Vegeta lay on the floor, trying to find the strength to stand and return to the fight. Finally, he pushed himself into a sitting position, trying to sense how the fight was going…

Only to sense a ki right behind him. Shocked, he jerked around. Krillin was sitting there. "Doesn't look like they'll be able to win, does it?" he asked Vegeta nonchalantly.

Vegeta glared at him. "It's me you want revenge on, not Kakarotto and a couple of kids!"

Krillin smirked. "Yes, but I can't have them getting in the way again. Not after what they did to Marron." His voice suddenly turned cold. "Now, you will die, Vegeta. And nobody, not even Goku, will be able to save you."

Slowly, almost ceremoniously, Krillin reached into his pocket and produced a small bottle. "It's poison," he said at the confused look on Vegeta's face. "Natural death, see? Natural enough. The dragon will never be able to bring you back…" He carefully unscrewed the lid and leaned over Vegeta.

Vegeta's arm came around and knocked Krillin backwards. Krillin managed to catch the bottle before it smashed. "Very well," he said, replacing the lid and putting it back in his pocket. "The poison will probably work as well if you are mostly dead."

Vegeta watched with despair as Juu-hachi-gou emerged from behind the wall. "I thought you were dead…"

Juu-hachi-gou grinned. "I was…"

Goku, now in SSJ3, ducked a kick and sent a ki blast at the android, who easily absorbed it. Nearby, Trunks kicked out, then rolled out of the way of the tail. Goten, on the other side of the robot, threw a kamehameha at it, flying in close to attack the head. Trunks grabbed one of the legs and, along with Goku, heaved the machine over. No sooner had they let go, however, than it was back up and fighting again.

Trunks groaned. "So that doesn't work…"

Goten grinned. "We can use the Millennium Bug on it!"

"I don't think that will work," Trunks snapped, ducking a kick. He launched himself at the android, but another kick knocked him out of the air.

Goten took the opportunity to attack. Diving out of the way of the tail, he swept the robot's legs from under it easily, then jump-kicked at its head. A hand swept up just before and plucked him from the air. Powering up, he managed to break free, and dodged a punch.

Goku ducked a kick, grabbed the tail and yanked it off, throwing it against the wall. He ran at the robot, until a flurry of punches drove him back again.

Trunks soared back into the battle, weaving his way through the attacks and managing a punch to the machine's body before being driven back again. As he prepared a ki blast, he ducked a kick, then froze. Vegeta, forcing himself to his feet, facing Krillin and… Juu-hachi-gou! 'But it can't be her! She's what this whole mess started over!' Frozen, he didn't notice the fist coming towards him, but Goten tackled him out of the way. Nodding his thanks, he forced his thoughts back to the battle. 'Hang on, tousan…'

Vegeta blocked the punch, then Juu-hachi-gou's kick slammed him back into the wall. Staggering forward, he ducked a ki blast and leapt in to attack.

Juu-hachi-gou swatted him easily out of the air. "You're weak. I could crush you with one hand, but I'm not allowed. You'll never be wished back." As he struggled back up, she kneed him in the groin, then punched him in the face as he doubled over.

Krillin nodded, walking forward. "That should be enough." He bent down, holding the bottle out, then frowned at Vegeta's expression, "Why are you smiling?" he asked, puzzled, then leapt aside as Vegeta shot a ki blast at him. "What the hell!"

Smirking, Vegeta forced himself to his feet. "You…won't kill me." There was a blur, then Vegeta was holding the bottle. He crushed it easily, ignoring the broken glass. "Let's…try again…shall we?" He threw the glass fragments aside, then sprang at Krillin.

With lightning-speed, Juu-hachi-gou pushed Vegeta back. "You lost to me the first time. You'll lose again. Ant this time, I won't stop at a broken arm."

Vegeta dropped into a fighting stance, grinning. "Good. I'm through playing games." Taking a deep breath, hoping his muscles wouldn't give out on him, he lunged at Juu-hachi-gou.

Juu-hachi-gou lashed out with her foot, hitting Vegeta in the stomach. Forcing himself to ignore the pain, Vegeta grabbed her leg and cart-wheeled over it, kicking her twice in the face then sweeping her other leg out from under her.

Juu-hachi-gou snarled at him, easily flipping back to her feet. 'He's waiting for me to attack,' she realized, glaring at him.

Suddenly, Vegeta came out of nowhere, kicking her in the back of the head. She staggered forward, then turned. "What the-" she said incredulously, then Vegeta's knee hit her in the stomach. His hand sliced through the air, and her head fell to the floor.

Krillin started to run, but Vegeta was in front of him, a hand shot forward…

Vegeta yanked his hand back, dropping Krillin's heart to the floor, and turned to the robot. Sighing, he gathered his ki. "Everybody duck!"

Goku, Goten and Trunks dived to the side as Vegeta's ki blast shot through them to the robot. Powering up, they added their own ki blasts.

The robot knocked them away with one hand, but never noticed the one coming from the opposite direction, bright gold and stronger than suns…

Goku pushed himself to his knees, blinking the afterimages away. "Everybody alright?"

A bit of rubble was pushed up, to reveal Trunks and Goten. "Where'd Vegeta go?" Goten asked curiously.

Goku looked around. Vegeta seemed to have vanished. Then he remembered that final ki blast…

Vegeta was still lying on his back by the time the others got over. "You okay?" Goku asked.

"What does it look like, idiot? I'm fine," Vegeta sighed, pushing himself to his feet. He would have liked to lie there a bit longer, his muscles felt like they would collapse any time now, but he couldn't show the weakness.

Trunks caught him around the waist as he almost fell over. "You sure you're okay?"

Vegeta nodded, pushing him away irritably. "Of course."

"I'm hungry," Goten complained.

Trunks smirked. "And mum is going to yell at you for trashing our house again."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever." His knees collapsed for the second time, and he decided to give up standing.

Goku didn't notice. "We should go and finish breakfast. You guys want to come over?"

Trunks glanced at Vegeta. "Come on tousan, let's go!"

Vegeta nodded, forcing himself up again. "Fine."

Goku looked at Vegeta, but decided to make no comment. Putting an arm around Goten, he grabbed Trunks's hand.

Vegeta felt something touch him. Turning, he noticed Trunks's hand gripping his shoulder. He sighed, but left it. He had more important things to worry about.

A moment later, they were in the kitchen at Goku's house. Chichi, noticing them, gave a sigh to relief and dropped into a chair.

Bulma, on the other hand, jumped up. "You're okay! I was so worried!" Relief plastered all over her face, she launched herself at Vegeta, who went straight over backwards.

Chichi sighed. "I'll make some food. Goku, go and see if the senzus are ready yet."

Goku nodded, leaving as quickly as he had arrived. Chichi dragged Bulma off Vegeta and helped her pull him into a chair by the table. Chichi went back to her cooking as Bulma fussed over Vegeta.

Goku reappeared moments later with a bag of senzu. Bulma hurried over and grabbed it, then darted back to Vegeta. She poked one into his mouth, watching anxiously as he chewed and swallowed. "How're you feeling?" she asked, voice trembling.

"I'm fine," Vegeta said shortly. He looked over at Goku. "Did we get them all?"

Goku nodded. "You did."

Bulma gasped. "You killed them all?" Glaring, she turned back to Goku. "You sat back and watched!"

Goku backed away, terrified at the look on Bulma's face. "No, we didn't, but…"

"Look, we managed, okay!" Vegeta cut in angrily. "We're all alive, they're all dead, Hurray, rebuild Capsule Corps. again, party time."

Bulma turned to glare at Vegeta. "You do realize that this will be the third time this year we had to rebuild! It's getting expensive! Next time, you can pay for it!"

Vegeta shrugged. He didn't believe it, and he knew Bulma didn't either. It was all just a game. He was surprised to discover that he was starting to enjoy it.

"You sure, Bulma?" Yamcha asked. It was a few weeks later, and Capsule Corps. had been fully rebuilt. Bulma and Vegeta were having a New Home Party. "I mean," he continued, "I never put your life in danger when you were my girlfriend."

"I wouldn't trade Vegeta for anyone in the world," Bulma said coldly, then looked around. "Where is he, anyway?"

Goku smiled, moving away form the buffet table. He gave Chichi a quick kiss, then headed outside.

He found Vegeta in the gravity room, now, at Vegeta's request, separate from the house. He knocked on the door, then walked in.

Vegeta wordlessly walked over to the computer and turned the gravity down to 100G, then got into a fighting stance. They powered up, reaching SSJ2 almost simultaneously. Vegeta paused, considering, then continued to power up. His aura flared and, smiling triumphantly, Vegeta stood before Goku, SSJ3. "I beat you, Kakarotto!"


End file.
